Winter Light
Morning light outdoors, a midday walk and a dim evening for the dark months.
For anyone who spends most of the day indoors from October to March. The program adds morning and midday light, a dim evening and fish twice a week, about 40 minutes a day in total.
A day in the program
Tasks, in order.
Times assume waking at 7:00 and going to sleep at 23:00. In the app, they shift to fit you.
Morning
- 7:30Go out into morning light20 min · Lifestyle · Every day
When you leave the house, spend 20 to 30 minutes outdoors within an hour of waking, for example by walking to work. Shift the time to match your alarm.
A practical rule. There is no official number of minutes of morning light. Outdoors, even under a cloudy winter sky, there is usually more than 1,000 lux; indoors, 100 to 500, and the consensus recommends at least 250 during the day (Brown et al. 2022).
- 8:00Consider vitamin DSupplements · Mon
From October to March, consider vitamin D. General guidance gives 10 to 20 µg a day; ask a pharmacist about the right dose for you.
Why winter. Fewer than 1% of adults in the Czech Republic meet the recommended vitamin D intake from diet alone (SZÚ archive, Czech National Institute of Public Health).
Midday
- 12:30Walk in daylight15 min · Movement · Weekdays
When you have your lunch break, go outside for 15 minutes while it is still light. Weekends are for rest or a relaxed walk.
Short breaks. According to a meta-analysis, breaks of up to 10 minutes increase vigor and reduce fatigue (Albulescu et al. 2022).
Evening
- 18:30Have fish for dinner1 portion · Food · Tue, Thu
When you plan dinner on Tuesday and Thursday, have fish, such as mackerel, sardines or salmon. Canned fish works in a salad too.
Fish instead of capsules. According to EFSA, one to two servings of fish a week match the recommended intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil capsules have little or no effect on mortality (EFSA 2014, Cochrane 2020).
- 21:00Switch to warm, dim lightSleep · Every day
When it is 21:00, switch to a lamp with warm light and turn off the ceiling lights. Sleep at 23:00 is the default; adjust the time to suit you.
How much light in the evening. From three hours before bed, the consensus recommends no more than 10 lux (Brown et al. 2022).
General suggestions for everyday wellbeing, not medical advice. Adjust the tasks to suit you. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication regularly, talk to your doctor before making changes.
What our programs build onSources
What the program builds on.
Morning light outdoors and dim light in the evening follow the consensus of 250 lux during the day and no more than 10 lux in the evening.
Fish for dinner once or twice a week matches the amount EFSA links to the benefits of fish in the diet.
A walk in daylight is a short break, and according to the meta-analysis such breaks increase vigor.
The program favors fish over capsules, because fish oil has little or no effect on mortality.
The tasks are tied to morning, midday and dinner, because a habit forms through repetition on the same cue.