How Dark Should Your Bedroom Be When It Comes To Sleeping?
The human body, an astonishing machine, is routinely impacted by both light and dark environments: The power of daylight hours over our brains is immense, naturally communicating to us when it’s time to wake up and when it’s time to sleep. It’s no secret that modern living has resulted in a plethora of artificial bedroom lighting, and while many of us spend the most of our days indoors under the harsh fluorescent lights of the workplace, our bodies need natural sunlight.
During the 9-to-5 workday, there may be little room for lighting choices.
The bedroom, on the other hand, is one place where we all have complete power. It turns out that making a few changes to your morning and evening rituals can help your body find its natural rhythm.
How Lights Affects Sleep
Excess light in the bedroom has been shown to disturb the body’s normal circadian cycle, affecting sleep quality. Artificial light, such as that provided by smartphones, e-readers, and televisions, signals the brain to wake up, inhibiting the creation of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. However, there is some good news. The sensitivity of your body to light can be exploited to your advantage to increase the quality of your sleep. The more light you can eliminate from your environment, the better your sleep will be. This is how you do it.
Keep Devices Out of Your Room
According to a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, 95% of adults use some type of light-emitting technology right before going to bed. The short-wavelength spectrum of all the devices we can’t live without makes the little blue lights from all the things we can’t live without particularly effective when it comes to disrupting your internal clock. Energy-saving bulbs, laptops, and cell phones all delay the production of melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep and remain asleep. Keep as many electronics out of your bedroom as possible for a more comfortable night’s sleep.
Keep Your Bedroom Door Closed
According to a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, 95% of adults use some type of light-emitting technology right before going to bed. The short-wavelength spectrum of all the devices we can’t live without makes the little blue lights from all the things we can’t live without particularly effective when it comes to disrupting your internal clock. Energy-saving bulbs, laptops, and cell phones all delay the production of melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep and remain asleep. Keep as many electronics out of your bedroom as possible for a more comfortable night’s sleep.
Hang Window Treatments
Hang curtains or blinds to block out as much unnatural light as possible if your bedroom is exposed to street light. You won’t need blackout shades in the morning because you’ll still desire natural light (although you can).
The bottom line is that natural light should be the only source of illumination in your bedroom. When you wake up, your body seeks sunlight. Getting outside in the sun will provide you with a healthy dosage of vitamin D. Enjoy your wonderful cocoon of darkness (as dark as possible) all night, then go for the real thing when it’s time to get up. Open your blinds or sit outside with your morning coffee.