Sleep is something that we all need for physical, mental and emotional health. The problem is that not all of us can get that essential amount of quality sleep we need. If you are one of those people who have trouble sleeping you may need to give yourself a sleep reboot.
What you may not realise is that the key to getting
a good night’s sleep starts first thing in the morning. Basically, what you do
during the day will help determine weather you fall asleep fast, or toss and
turn all night. This is when getting outside within your first hour of waking
can lead to a better day and ultimately better sleep as well.
Morning sunlight and
your health
Morning sunlight not only sets you up for a better
day, by boosting your wellbeing and your mood it sets you up for better sleep.
It is also good for producing vitamin D. This is vital for many aspects of your
health. Sunlight is also crucial for regulating your body’s normal functions such
as your hormone levels and your metabolism. Getting some sunshine in the
morning can also improve your productivity.
Hormones: cortisol,
melatonin and serotonin
The reason sunlight is important for your health is
because when you get some early sun it wakes up your nervous system and the
chemical reactions needed to reinforces your natural body clock which then produces
cortisol, melatonin, and serotonin.
Serotonin
This hormone is responsible for regulating moods, appetite,
memory and sleep. If you expose your body, face and eyes to sunlight, it will increase
the production of serotonin in your body and reduce Seasonal Affective Disorder
as well as anxiety and depression. Serotonin helps our sleep as it is a precursor
to melatonin.
Melatonin
Morning sunlight will boost the amount of raw
material needed to make the sleep hormone melatonin which is a central part of your
body’s sleep-wake cycle. The morning sunlight exposure will help your serotonin
cycles stay aligned with day and night cycles. It will peak mid-afternoon and
will drop off after dark. This is what makes you feel tired. When these
hormones are not working properly it can result in a bad night’s sleep.
Cortisol
This is your stress hormone and works opposite to melatonin.
If your melatonin is high, your cortisol should be low and vice versa. The
problem with these being out of balance is that your sleep gets affected. Cortisol
in the morning is important as when the cortisol rises early on waking it has a
greater positive benefits. This serves to lower your blood pressure and improving
mental health while helping you feel alert.
What to do
If you sleep in a dark room there isn’t enough
light to trigger the correct timing of the cortisol and melatonin rhythms. At
day break there’s a particular contrast between yellows and blues, this triggers
the activation of cortisol and it’s important to have cortisol firing during
the day so that it doesn’t keep you awake at night. So if you have trouble
sleeping, toss and turn take a look at your serotonin, melatonin and cortisol
levels. Discuss it with your naturopath and let them help you get into a good sleep
rhythm with herbs, Bach and shell essence remedies, aromatherapy oils,
meditation and a few lifestyle changes. Soon your rhythms will be working as
they should and you will be healthier on all levels.
