STOPS A SLUMP: Sky-gazing

Still groggy even after your morning brew? Your pineal gland may be releasing a steady trickle of sleep-inducing melatonin—a hormone it’s only supposed to produce at night. But stepping outside and looking at the sky for 5 minutes can rev alertness and productivity by up to 35 percent for 2 hours, say scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Their studies show exposure to UV light (even on dreary days) resets the pineal gland to shut down melatonin production.