News - Blogs - Go outside for your health

Go outside for your health
Published: 2/23/2012 5:53 PM
Last Modified: 2/23/2012 5:53 PM

Fred Roumbanis fishes on the Red River during the practice round Wednesday for the Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport, La. Not a bad way to soak up those rays. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World

Did you get outside Wednesday? No? For shame.

If you did, you know what I’m talking about. I walked across downtown for an assignment 1) because driving when I can walk is irresponsible and 2) it was the best excuse I had to spend a good 30 minutes basking in that bright sunshine.

Strolling down the street, probably whistling (since that’s what you do when you stroll, obviously), it made a somewhat stressful day calmer. It was relaxing. It helped me find my chi or whatever before heading back to the largely windowless office.

Basically, it made me happy. Why? SCIENCE!

Specifically, biology, which isn’t a topic we cover much on this blog. We tend to focus on math and physics and occasionally astronomy, but let’s dust off that biology book for a quick second.

Sunlight, actually the rays from that life-giving orb of constant nuclear fusion, stimulates our bodies to produce Vitamin D. The nutrient increases the level of serotonin, which experts believe is one of the primary contributors to feelings of well-being and happiness.

So, being outside literally makes you happy, whether you want to be happy or not. Science!

Also, unless you work outside and you hate your job, the activities associated with being outside are often enjoyable, which in itself can make you happier. Even walking through downtown in 70-degree weather, while not particularly exciting, is the best way to spend a February day.

Interesting fact: The high of 75 on Wednesday was the warmest day since Nov. 19, when the high hit 76.

So if you missed Wednesday, hopefully you got out today. Or tomorrow, or really any time over the next week. It’s going to be warm (during the day, but kinda chilly at night) and mostly dry for the foreseeable future.

So, everybody all together! Let’s turn that frown upside down!

--Jerry Wofford

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Almanac

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

	Temperature		Precipitation
Date	High Temp	Low Temp	Total	Month to date	Historical average
1	44°	16°	0	0.00	0.05
2	59°	24°	0	0.00	0.11
3	57°	33°	0	0.00	0.16
4	68°	37°	Trace	0.00	0.21
5	69°	29°	0	0.00	0.26
6	66°	33°	0	0.00	0.32
7	59°	38°	0.05	0.05	0.38
8	51°	34°	0	0.05	0.44
9	44°	36°	0.01	0.06	0.51
10	62°	37°	0.07	0.13	0.57
11	54°	28°	0	0.13	0.64
12	44°	30°	0.25	0.38	0.70
13	55°	40°	0.01	0.39	0.76
14	°	°			0.83
15	°	°			0.89
16	°	°			0.95
17	°	°			1.02
18	°	°			1.09
19	°	°			1.16
20	°	°			1.23
21	°	°			1.31
22	°	°			1.38
23	°	°			1.46
24	°	°			1.53
25	°	°			1.61
26	°	°			1.69
27	°	°			1.77
28	°	°			1.85

TEMPERATURE

RAINFALL

SNOWFALL

Weather World

Follow Jerry Wofford on Twitter for updates during severe weather conditions.

Tulsa weather milestones of 2013 (as of Feb. 12)

Highest temperature: 70 on Jan. 11 (Record: 115 on Aug. 15, 1936)
Lowest temperature: 15 on Jan. 16 (Record: Minus-16 on Jan. 22, 1930)
Hottest month (average): 40.5 degrees in January (Record: 91.7 degrees on July 1980)
Coldest month (average): 40. 5 degrees in January (Record: 21.7 in January 1918)
Most snowfall (day): 0.1 of an inch on Feb. 12(Record: 13.2 inches on Feb. 1, 2011)
Most snowfall (month): 0.1 of an inch in February(Record: 22.5 inches in February 2011)
Most rainfall (day): 0.91 of an inch on Jan. 29 (Record: 9.27 inches on May 26-27, 1984)
Most rainfall (month): 1.54 of an inch in January (Record: 18.18 inches on September 1971)
Highest wind speed: 30 mph on Jan. 30
Previous day with any rain: Feb. 12
Previous day with 1 inch or more of rain: Oct. 17, 2012
Previous day with any snow: Feb. 12
Previous day with freezing temperatures: Feb. 12
Read regular updates on Oklahoma's unpredictable weather and learn more about meteorology from the Tulsa office of the National Weather Service.

>> Visit the main weather page
>> Send us your weather photos
>> Meet the forecasters

Contributors
Staff Writer Althea Peterson started writing for the Tulsa World in March 2007 after previous stops at the Norman Transcript in 2006 and the Oklahoma Gazette in 2005. She followed her older brother from rural Wisconsin (with a public school that never seemed to call snow days) to the University of Oklahoma, but did not follow his pursuit to study meteorology. However, she tries to find as many opportunities to report on the weather as possible.

Staff Writer Jerry Wofford came to the Tulsa World in 2010 from The Manhattan Mercury in Manhattan, Kan. Originally from western Arkansas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Jerry has lived in Tornado Alley his entire life and is one of those people who goes outside when the sirens go off.

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