When we ask clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Bruce (aka „The Sleep Doctor“) for his top tips for increasing energy and sleeping better, he doesn't hesitate to share his morning routine. . He wakes up at 6:15 a.m. every day and has his drink. He drinks a large glass of water and meditates while waiting for the sun to rise. Then, at exactly 7 a.m., he makes sure to remember his sunglasses at home and takes his two dogs, Hugo and Moose, for a walk around the block.
„Every human being should go outside as soon as possible after waking up and get at least 15 minutes of direct natural light exposure. It's time,“ says Los Angeles-based sleep medicine expert and co-author of the new book. Mr. Breus said: Cheer up!From a “dragging job” to a “complete job” in 30 days.
Breuse's simple life hack, which involves getting enough exposure to bright light early in the day, can lead to better sleep, clearer thinking, improved mental health, and reduced risk of obesity and diabetes. This reflects a growing body of scientific evidence.
A study of 700 people conducted at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic found that people who spent 1 to 2 hours each day outdoors or in a brightly lit room were less likely to become infected with the coronavirus. It was found that the possibility of infection was low. can not sleep or report anxiety.
Other researchers found that a week of letting natural light shine into an apartment during the day helped people fall asleep 22 minutes earlier, sleep more regularly, and feel happier and more alert during the day than a week with the blinds drawn. I discovered that.
„Light is the most important element in regulating the circadian clock, or 24-hour rhythm in the body, and morning light is key,“ says Nathaniel Watson, a sleep specialist and professor of neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. says the medical doctor.
We each have one master clock deep in our brains, as well as a series of other clocks in our tissues that govern when our hormones are released, our sleep-wake cycles, our hunger patterns. , and other daily rhythms to a predictable rhythm. cycle.
Even if you lived in a cave with no light at all, the hands on your master clock would still tick, but at a period of about 24.2 hours, it would be slightly out of sync with the clock on which society operates. With each passing day, the synchronization gets further and further out.
„Today, your watch might say 7 a.m., but your body clock might say 6:50 a.m.,“ says Dr. Mariana Figueiro, director of the Center for Light and Health Research at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York. say. „Tomorrow your body clock might be 6:40 a.m. and the next day it's 6:30 a.m. And it's going to be harder and harder to wake up.“
The moment you open your blinds or step outside and let morning light shine into your eyes, your body clock synchronizes with your 24-hour day in two important ways.
- Specialized cells in the retina tell the brain to stop producing the sleep hormone melatonin.
- The brain's master clock sets a kind of internal timer that tells the body to start producing melatonin again after about 14 hours.
Morning light also stimulates the body and promotes the secretion of stimulating hormones. cortisolto perk up your brain for the day.
In one experiment, office workers were exposed to brighter morning light for five days. They found that decision-making became easier and his cognitive test scores were 79% higher.
Research shows that morning light can also affect hormones leptin (satiety hormone) and ghrelin (hunger hormone) in a way that promotes healthy weight.
Researchers at Northwestern University also found that people who were most exposed to bright light before noon weighed slightly less, on average 1.4 pounds lighter, than those who were exposed to the most bright light in the evening. did.
On the contrary, it is best to minimize bright light at night, as it has the same awakening effect as in the morning.
„Light is like a cup of coffee,“ says Figueiro. „It has a direct, acute effect, and that is to maintain wakefulness, and that happens day and night.“
Bright, short-wavelength „blue light“ (from the glowing screens of laptops and smartphones) is especially disruptive to sleep because it most closely resembles the natural light from the sun that we evolved to wake up to.
Unfortunately, people now spend about 87% of their time indoors, with environments that are darker than necessary during the day and brighter than necessary at night.
And in many ways, the pandemic made things even worse as more people worked from home.
“Oftentimes you can get some morning light during your commute,” Figueiro says. She says riding your bike or walking from the station to work can easily provide enough morning light to keep your circadian clock ticking, even on cloudy days.
Instead, many of us now simply walk from our bedrooms to our computers. „People are missing out on the morning light. That's worrying,“ Figueiro says.
However, the workaround is simple.
Try your best to spend at least an hour outdoors each day.. This includes at least 15 to 30 minutes in the morning after dawn. The afternoon between 1pm and 3pm is also a good time to take a walk outside. During this time, your body produces melatonin again for a short period of time.
„If you start feeling sluggish in the afternoon, instead of taking a coffee break, go outside and get some sun,“ says Breus. For maximum effect, leave your sunglasses off.
Please face the window. If you spend most of your day indoors, sit facing a window and open the shades whenever possible.
If your day room doesn't have a window or has a small window, increase the light. Figueiro recommends placing table lamps (each he puts out 1,500 lumens) with light-colored shades that diffuse the light on either side of your computer. A regular white light bulb will suffice, but for better results, use blue light or bring the light closer to your eyes.
Get an extra boost. You can also use a „dawn simulator“ or „light therapy“ lamp in the morning if you drive to work in the dark, move frequently between time zones, or find it difficult to get natural morning light. It's working, Watson says. 10,000 lux bright light. This is about five times as bright as outside light on a cloudy day.
Set screen time limit. To minimize nighttime light, turn off electronic devices (or at least dim your displays and set them to white on black) two hours before bed. If you have trouble sleeping, consider wearing blue light blocking glasses 90 minutes before bed. Also, use warm, low-level, dim lighting in your bedroom and living room at night.
And yes, you should also maintain a consistent schedule, going to bed at the same time every day and waking up at the same time every day. It's simple, but not easy.
„Sleep is fostered through consistency and routine,“ Breus says. As a sleep consultant to celebrities and athletes in Los Angeles, he knows how difficult this can be. But as he says, it's worth it if you want to sleep better.