Recharge your day with light
by Dr. Tom Buckley
Are you getting enough light in your day? Does having restricted exposure to natural light affect your mood and sleep?
Researchers have known for a while that there is a link between light and sleep. While not fully understood, exposure to light appears to trigger our brain and hormones to wake up in the morning. Alertness hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are naturally released in the early hours of the morning but appear to be secreted in larger doses when we are exposed to natural light at this time. An example of the benefits of early morning light was demonstrated in a study conducted in 2004 where 450 research participants found that those who got the most light, particularly in the morning, reported better moods throughout the day and reported better night-time sleep.
So what can we do to in our working day to get a healthy dose of light? Try some of the following:
• A 30-minute walk or some form of outdoor exercise each morning will help kick start the day. This doesn’t need to be a planned training session but just walking to work, or even the train station. Some researchers believe that combining exercise with morning light exposure may amplify light’s beneficial effects on your mood, night-time sleep, and overall day-time alertness.
• Eat breakfast near a window or, if possible, out in the garden or balcony. If not possible before you get to work, try having an early morning tea outside the office building.
• Ensure your bathroom is bright. If you don’t have natural light in the bathroom, ensure you have multiple sources of light, not just one light bulb. Think about painting this room a bright colour next time you are decorating.
• Avoid bright evening light. Dim your indoor lights after 6pm to prepare your body for sleep later. You production of the hormone melatonin, the main sleep inducing hormone, relies on the reduction of light to be stimulated.
• Best to avoid your computer after 7pm. If you do have to do later evening computer tasks, soften your computer screen. Reduce the screen brightness. Better still, turn it off.
• Use the window and drapes. If possible, leave your window drape open a little to allow morning light to seep into your bedroom. Research has consistently shown that the rising sun is the best and most natural alarm clock. Of course in summer, this may be too early so, if possible, open the drapes as soon as your alarm clock goes off and before you drift back into a snooze.
Tom Buckley a University lecturer and researcher in the field or Health Sciences whose doctoral studies focused on physiological responses to stress. Author of several peer reviewed publications and supporting author of Flip the Switch, his current research interests are in human factors related to performance and wellbeing