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Natural light suppresses melatonin (the sleepy hormone) to help you feel more alert in the day.
But when the evening arrives and natural light fades, your circadian rhythm starts to increase melatonin production again.
Here’s what we discovered…
Do mornings get lighter when the clocks go back?
This extra morning light is noticeable for a good few weeks.
Without the clocks going back, we wouldn’t see the sun until around 9am in the winter.
3 ways lighter mornings help you to sleep better
1.
Getting sunlight exposure as early as possible in the morning boosts our cortisol levels.
Cortisol is the stress hormone responsible for waking us up faster and making us feel alert.
Therefore, spikes in the morning give us energy and alertness to power us through our daily tasks.
Morning light regulates your energy levels.
This regulates the timing of bodily functions including hormones, metabolism and mood.
Studies show exposing yourself toearly morning sunlight helps balance the sleep hormone melatoninand resets your body’s clock.
This will optimise your sleep and wakefulness periods and helps you to produce more melatonin at night."
This will make it easier and faster for you to fall asleep at night.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine agree.
Studies have been carried out to determine the sleep and health implications of darker mornings.
where sunrise is later).
Why do the clocks go back this time of year?
How to get good sleep when the clocks go back
1.
Stick to a consistent nighttime routine
A well-establishednighttime routineis the bedrock of good quality sleep.
Having a personalized wind-down routine that is sustainable and enjoyable for you helps you sleep easy.
It’s also about creating good habits at bedtime.
This makes sure you get the quality rest your body needs to function optimally during the day.
Getting outdoors in natural sunlight is key to sleeping well at night.
That said, natural light exposure is beneficial throughout the day too.
A walk in nature is a great way of combating the winter blues and promoting good sleep.
Plus it’s not all about light exposure, fresh air can also help you sleep better.
