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Our sleep, hormones and mood are affected by our internal body clock.
Now, the extent of the impact of this on our sleep is being revealed.
We take a closer look.
Key takeaways from the study
The study compared 56 shift works with 52 control participants.
Shift work was defined in the study as anything outside of a standard period between 7am-6pm.
Aside from this, they were also asked to complete questionnaires on their sleep and mood problems.
Onestudyfound that those who got enough morning sunlight had increased sleep efficiency.
Aside from this, gettingsunlight in the morningsreinforces our circadian rhythm.
This can make it difficult for the body to know when to feel naturally sleepy.
Delayed sleep onset
Sleep onset, orsleep latencyis the time it takes for you to fall asleep.
This can negatively impactsleep qualityand sleep efficiency.
Also, our world is not set up for night shift workers.
Trying to sleep during the day can be a nightmare.
The link between poor sleep and mental health
So, how does this link to mood disturbances?
The link betweensleep and anxiety and depressionis well documented.
Poor sleep leads to increased anxiety and depression, and anxiety and depression lead to poor sleep.
And, as you’re free to imagine, its easy to get trapped in this cycle.
Create a bedtime routine
Humans are creatures of habit, which means we benefit from routine.
This is especially important if you dont have the natural cues to unwind, like the sun setting.
Even half an hour outside during your day can make all the difference when youre trying to fall asleep.
While sleep regularity is really important, sleep duration is, too.
Mostadults need 7-9 hours of sleep, but this changes with every person.
Prioritizing this will ensure youre not adding sleep deprivation into the mix of poor sleep efficiency and quality.
