For many of us, ensuring good sleep is a priority. It’s essential for our physical and mental health. With this in mind, we all should be mindful of how what we do during the day and evening can affect our sleep. One often overlooked factor is natural light exposure, which can have a significant impact on the quality of our sleep.
Natural light exposure helps to regulate our circadian rhythm, which is our body’s internal clock. If we do not receive enough sunlight during the day, we can end up feeling sleepier at night, leading to discouragement and difficulty sleeping. High levels of bright light exposure during the daylight hours can also help us feel more energized during the day, avoiding the typical mid-afternoon lull.
Achieving a good balance of natural light exposure in our daily lives is key to obtaining quality sleep at night. Here’s a few ways to ensure we’re getting enough light during the day:
Light Exposure During the Morning
When we wake up in the morning, our body is naturally trying to wake itself up and get ready for the day ahead. It’s important to expose ourselves to bright natural light immediately after waking. Opening the blinds, going outside if possible, or making use of a light therapy lamp can all be helpful methods of natural wake-up.
Light exposure during the morning sets the tone for the day and our circadian rhythm. A 2017 study showed that spending time in bright light directly after waking up can reduce evening sleepiness and make make it easier to fall asleep at night.
Light Exposure During the Afternoon
While it may be tempting to curl up and take a mid-afternoon nap, this can actually disrupt our circadian rhythm and make it harder to fall asleep at night. Instead, opt for a brisk walk outside or open the blinds to let some natural light in to keep alert and energized during the day.
Bright natural light exposure during the day can help take advantage of the natural alertness we experience during the day. Additionally, combining light exposure with physical activity can be a great way to improve mood and energy levels to get us through the rest of the day.
A 2018 study indicates that a 10-20 minute walk outside in bright daylight can improve cognitive skills such as problem-solving and memory.
Light Exposure During the Evening
Once the sun starts to set, it’s important to start reducing our natural light exposure. Being exposed to bright lights later in the night can disrupt our sleep patterns, as our bodies get confused between our internal clocks and the natural clock of the sun.
At least an hour before we go to bed, it’s best to start dimming our lights and avoiding phone screens and blue lights from TVs and computers. The ideal scenario is to dim the lights an hour or two before we intend to sleep.
By avoiding blue-light emitting devices in the evening, we can aid our bodies in producing the natural melatonin it needs to go into sleep mode.
Takeaways
- Natural light expsoure is essential for setting and maintaining our body’s cicadian rhythm.
- Bright light exposure during the day and avoidance of blue light at night can help us sleep better at night.
- Try to get natural light exposure immediately after waking, during the day when needed to remain alert and energized, and turn down/avoid blue light at night.
Conclusion
Making sure we get adequate and balanced natural light exposure during the day and evening is important for our health and overall quality of sleep. While other sleep hygiene techniques such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol late in the day are also important, natural light exposure is key for regulating our circadian rhythm and promoting better sleep.