By Kirsty O’Sullivan, spokesperson at www.web-blinds.com
Why not invest in some blackout blinds?
Many people wrongly assume that if they are managing seven or so hours of sleep each night they needn’t worry about any potential health implications relating to their slumber.
However, when it comes to sleep, sometimes quality is more important than quantity, with a surprisingly large number of adults we’ve spoken to here at web-blinds.com not fully realising the importance and benefits to the body of sleeping in a dark room.
So we decided to look into the science behind getting a good night’s sleep and here’s what we found.
Regulating melatonin levels
Melatonin is a natural hormone that’s central to healthy sleep and a healthy life.
In research, doctors say that melatonin production is triggered by the fading or absence of light, so think the setting sun. Normally, this occurs around 9pm and the hormone causes the body to feel drowsy and ready for bed.
Being exposed to light at night can disrupt and delay the production of melatonin, throwing out the body’s natural sleep cycle. So it’s always best to aid the production of melatonin by dimming the lights in the evening and then going to bed in a totally dark room.
As well as encouraging sleep, melatonin is known as a powerful antioxidant hormone that prevents some strains of cancer, and can also help with controlling other health issues, including the regulations of irregular menstrual cycles, the length of ovulation, menopausal issues and chronic insomnia.
Lowering the risk of depression
Research has shown that a healthy sleep cycle is also central to maintaining balanced emotional well-being. If you have the lights on at night and you delay the onset of melatonin, then you run the risk of having problems sleeping and that is a well-known cause of depression.
Lowering the risk of metabolic dysfunction
A study published in 2014 in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism highlighted that living out of sync with the rising and setting of the sun can affect health.
So-called ‘night owls’ were found to be more prone to having diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and sarcopenia (muscle loss) compared to those who went to bed and awoke at times in accordance with the day’s light and dark cycle, despite getting the same amount of sleep.
If your bedroom is currently letting in too much light then you should consider investing in a blackout blind from us at web-blinds.com. All our blackout blinds are created using a special lining that helps stop outside light from creeping into your bedroom, helping it stay dark long past dawn and into the morning. And that lets you sleep and wake in line with day and night.
LINK: https://www.web-blinds.com/blackout-blinds/
Tagged in Sleep