The Hours of the Sun

It's a weird day.  Not bad, just weird.  I'm floating through it.  Part of that is lack of sleep--I think I slept about 3 hours last night and then another 3 hours during a morning nap.  I sent out an agent query today, the first in a long stretch, shopped a bit with the girl, and now it's time to get some work done.  The only thing that's kept me from being in a complete fog is the fact that I walked some and got a little writing done around 7am.

I'll go wander outside for a while.  That may lead to gardening, or it may lead to some story stuff, or both.  I've talked about environmental changes helping the writing thing.  This time I'm not just highlighting the change in creative dynamic when I change my location, but how the sunlight affects my energy and mindset.  Exposure to light when I'm drowsy will help reset my messed up sleep cycle and help pull me through the rest of the day so that I can go to sleep at a reasonable hour and maybe even get a shot at waking up early.

Has anyone noticed changes in their productivity and health when they change the times that they wake up and how much time they spend outside?  Me, the earlier I wake up (within reason, near dawn or soon after seems to be ideal) the better.  If I spend at least two hours outside that really helps too.  I feel better, I sleep better, I work better.  I can also function well with a late to bed, late to rise schedule but that's all it is, functioning.  When I write until the wee hours of the morning and don't get up until 10am (or even later) I don't have as much energy as I do on an early schedule, given equal time outside.  In summer it's especially obvious--I end up experiencing a lot of heat and simultaneously miss that blissful morning coolness that's so delicious to work and play in.

Let's discuss.