Sleep Issues? Light Therapy Can Help

If you’re having trouble sleeping at night or dragging in the morning, light therapy can help!

Your eyes are the window to the brain - varying degrees of light hitting the eyelids sends powerful messages to the brain regarding what time of day it is and what to do about it. This has a DIRECT affect on your sleep-wake cycles, otherwise known as your circadian rhythm.

When light hits your lids (preferably first thing in the morning with the sunrise), a message is sent to the pineal gland in the brain that it’s daytime. As a result, cortisol (wake hormone) is released to get you up and going for the day. When darkness hits the lids (preferably at night as the sun sets), the opposite message is sent. As the eyes detect the transition to night, they alert the brain to release sleep-inducing melatonin. This slows the metabolism and mind, and encourages sleepiness.

The invent of light and over-reliance on technology combined with the sedentary nature of Americans has thrown these innate biological processes completely out of whack. From computer screens to halogen light bulbs, the average person in this day and age is spending most of their time indoors surrounded by artificial ambient light. Furthermore, sunglasses have become quite the fashion accessory so even when time IS spent outside, the signals are blocked. With the overstimulation of blue light and separation from nature, the body undergoes mass confusion. Signals get mixed and sleep/wake cycles are dramatically impaired.

The EASIEST way to reset your circadian rhythm is to spend just 15 minutes outside before 9am every morning. Exposing your eyes, sunglass-free*, to the natural light will start shifting your hormonal cascade in a way that favors good-quality, restful and restorative sleep every single night!

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*Warning: be sure to never looking directly AT the sun. Simply having your eyes closed and allowing the sun to hit your lids is enough.