One thing I have not really mentioned but was one of the first things I noticed when I got to Iceland was the extreme lack of sunlight. Since Iceland is so close to the north pole and since the Earth is tilted on its axis, the daylight hours are extremely exaggerated during the winter and summer months.
| Sunrise/Sunset in Reykjavík
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Jan. 1st | 11:19 | = 4.4 hrs |
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| 15:44 |
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Feb. 1st | 10:09 | = 7.1 hrs |
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| 17:15 |
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Mar. 1st | 08:36 | =10.2 hrs |
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| 18:45 |
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Apr. 1st | 06:47 | =13.5 hrs |
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| 20:18 |
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May 1st | 05:01 | =16.8 hrs |
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| 21:51 |
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Jun. 1st | 03:23 | =20.1 hrs |
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| 23:30 |
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Apparently, we gaining around 45 minutes of daylight a week over here. I heard one Icelander describe themselves as a "manic depressive" people; they are manic in the summer and depressed in the winter. I have yet to be affected by the lack of sunlight, but personally, I think depression from lack of sunlight is more mental than anything else.
http://health.yahoo.net/articles/healthcare/10-winter-health-myths-exposed
