Reducing the amount artificial light could help you sleep better
You can't sleep at night, yet you struggle to get out of the bed in the morning. Does this sound like your daily routine?
Researchers at the Surrey Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey have found that the evening light we are exposed to in an indoor environment affects our biological clock and disrupts sleep quality.
The ordinary, artificial indoor-light we are exposed to in the evening suppresses the rise of the sleep-inducing hormone 'melatonin'. Artificial light makes us feel less sleepy and, therefore, we may be inclined to delay bedtime.
However, we still have to get up early in the morning and deal with lseep deprivation and the negative health implications associated with it.
Professor Derk-Jan Dijk, senior investigator on the study, says: "During the evening, the availability of electrical light indoors has not only led to a delay of sleep relative to the natural light-dark cycle, but also contributes to sleep deprivation in our society.
"A better understanding of the mechanisms by which light affects our sleep and biological rhythms may lead to new ways to minimise some of the unwanted effects of artificial light."
The researches studied daily light exposure at home and then investigated the effects of that light on sleep and biological rhythms.
They found that by reducing overall light intesity or using yellow light with minimal blue centent, or both, the disruptive effects of evening light can be minimised.
Dr Nayantara Santhi, lead investigator, comments: "It was quite remarkable to see the individual differences in response to light and we wonder how this may relate to differences in sleep patterns."