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Today is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, which also means the longest night of the year. Winter solstice 2020, which falls on December 21 (Monday) this year, also marks the official start of winter on this side of the planet. We all know that the tilt of the Earth causes the change in seasons, and the winter solstice is when the Earth's Northern hemisphere is farthest away from the sun. Another stunning celestial event, the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, will also take place on the night of Winter Solstice.
The 'Great Conjunction' as it is being called is a rare celestial event when the two planetary giants, Jupiter and Saturn, appear closest together in the sky. Although Jupiter and Saturn appear to pass each other nearly once every 20 years or so, the 2020 great conjunction will be special because it will be the closest Jupiter-Saturn pairing since July 1623. The two planets will be separated by just "0.1 degrees or about one-fifth the apparent width of the Moon".
The NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) says: "It's been nearly 400 years since the planets passed this close to each other in the sky, and nearly 800 years since the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter occurred at night, as it will for 2020, allowing nearly everyone around the world to witness this 'Great conjunction'".
The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction will be visible nearly an hour after sunset in the southwestern sky. In India, the celestial event is likely to be visible between 6.30pm and 7.30pm.
Today the sun will set really, really early, at around at 3:32 pm. Would you be ready to go to bed this early? So, the winter solstice is likely to affect you in several ways, including your mood, your sleep schedule, and maybe even your sex drive. Here are a few things that could happen to your body today.
When there's a limited amount of sunshine, your brain's serotonin levels can drop. Serotonin is the body's natural "feel-good" chemical that helps regulate your mood. The decline in serotonin levels may make you feel a little moody and melancholy.
Try practising deep breathing, meditation and yoga to help boost your serotonin levels, and lift your mood.
Less exposure to sunlight means not enough vitamin D in your body. Deficiency of this essential nutrient can make you feel super exhausted and lethargic. Try to get more vitamin D from your diet by adding plenty of vitamin-D-rich foods such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, beef liver, cheese, egg yolks and foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals.
The winter solstice may also take a toll on your snooze time. When there's less daylight, your body's circadian rhythm, which regulates your normal sleep cycles, may get affected as well as your ability to produce melatonin, aka your body's sleep hormone.
Although there's no definitive evidence, some experts suggest that migraine cases appear to increase during the winter months, starting on this day (winter solstice). Some people could be very sensitive to shifts in temperature. The sudden drop in temperature can trigger headaches in some people. But there are also people who get a migraine when the temperature rises.
A 2010 study suggested the cold weather that the winter solstice brings along may increase the risk for heart complications, particularly for elderly people and/or anyone who already has a preexisting heart condition.
You might not be in the mood to get intimate with your partner today. Usually, the body's production of testosterone plummets during the winter, and that can apparently take a toll on your sex drive.
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