Winter in San Diego?

There’s a ray of pleasure moving over the city. What’s that in the air? Is it optimism for the new year, along with new hopes and mindsets? Or the result of rest and wellness over the holiday season?

Sunshine is the answer.

San Diego’s temperatures are radiating pure bliss this winter season, and we want it to stay.

Well-being can come from sunshine, but it is less about the physical benefits of the sun itself and more about what is associated with it.

Eating ice cream or fish tacos. Getting outside and enjoying nature. Using all five senses — watching, listening to the sounds around you, touching grass, smelling nearby restaurants or even that familiar California skunk, tasting — instead of turning off your brain on short-form videos.

With some variation, average temperatures in San Diego over the past week ranged from the mid-60s to upper 80s degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 31 Celsius), with notably warm days toward the end of the week, according to LocalConditions.com.

This sunshine also brings people together in ways an iPhone cannot. It gives us an excuse to reach out to friends just to be together. Even if it’s simply people-watching and observing one another in our respective elements, we need connection — and the sun brings that.

Not to mention the benefits of vitamin D. Getting enough vitamin D is associated with strong bones, a healthy immune system, better mood, cardiovascular health and good muscle function, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Overall, the sun lifts spirits. It paints a picture of a happier country, if only for a moment. It recharges and restores us in a natural environment, pulls us out of the make-believe world of the internet and gives us a sense of hope.

Get outside. You need it.

Written by: Erin Seitzler

Photography by: Erin Seitzler