If winter feels like a prolonged struggle for you, rest assured, you're not alone. The heightened cold and extended darkness in Upstate New York have the potential to dampen the spirits of even the most optimistic individuals.

But here's the good news: More sunlight is coming everyday, slowly but surely. Sometimes it doesn't feel that way, but it's true. And hearing just how much we gain in February might just lift your spirits.

The farther north in United States you live, more sunlight you gain. That's because the south doesn't lose as much as we do during the course of the year. It's the biggest reason why it gets so damn cold here. But during February-March-April, as the northern hemisphere tilts more toward the sun, areas like Upstate New York begin seeing a bigger increase in daylight hours. So it's a bit of a silver lining.

HOW MUCH SUN DO NEW YORKERS GAIN IN FEBRUARY?

According to data pulled from timeanddate.com for Utica, New York:

February 1st:

• Sunrise: 7:16am
• Sunset: 5:12pm
• TOTAL SUNLIGHT: 9 hours, 56 minutes

February 28:

• Sunrise: 6:37am
• Sunset: 5:49pm
• TOTAL SUNLIGHT: 11 hours, 12 minutes

That's a gain of approximately 1.27 hours of sunlight during the course of February. That's a ray of hope during what is arguably the toughest month to get through in Upstate New York.

We all have a vague understanding that days are supposed to getting longer, but quantifying it like this is helpful to hear-- at least for me.

Another way of putting it... there's (more) light at the end of the tunnel.