Resist as we might, we humans, like all other living creatures, are tied to rhythms of nature. Our body clocks are regulated by light. It affects our internal chemical factory and temperature; telling us when to wake up, when to get ready for food, when to stop being so active and prepare for sleep, when to sleep and what happens during sleep. Indeed, a good 30 minute dose of bright sunlight after waking (taking a walk outdoors for instance), will help you sleep better at night.
Yet we fly in the face of nature every night, lighting our houses like it's the 4th of July. We stare at screens until our heads hit the pillow, or not even then. Little wonder we don't sleep properly.
What if we asked, "What would Nature do?" Perhaps we could create a false twilight inside our houses? We could turn off unncessary lights and dim all others. There are good ‘soft color’ light globes on the market that are great for sleep, and many can be controlled/programmed via your cell phone. Hilo, a French company makes a great one. Philips makes Hue, which gives you many color choices within the same globe.
We could shut down screens an hour before bedtime, or use apps that give them a warm glow to block white/blue light. This light can also be blocked using glasses like the Uvex brand. And it goes without saying, but we will, that bedrooms should be made pitch black if possible. If it’s not quite possible, at least use a good quality sleep mask made of material that breathes. (Check out our Merino wool 3-layer mask.)
And we'd have architects and designers build houses and bedrooms with all of this in mind. Our founder, Brett Howlett, is currently working with a New York architectural company and interior designers on effective ways to bring sleep cues to the home.
Sleep well now!