- After exposure to natural light-dark cycle people find it easier to fall asleep
- They also find it easier to get up and are more alert in the mornings
- People’s body clocks are currently out of synch because of electric lighting
By
Nick Mcdermott, Science Reporter
11:06 EST, 1 August 2013
|
11:06 EST, 1 August 2013
Trouble nodding off at night? Then try sleeping under canvas.
Exposure to the natural light of dawn and dusk helps synchronise our internal body clocks, making it easier for us to drop off and wake refreshed.
Individuals who described themselves as night-owls – who struggled to fall asleep in the evening – benefited the most from camping outdoors with nights lit only by a campfire’s glow.
Exposure to the natural light of dawn and dusk helps synchronise our internal body clocks, making it easier for us to drop off and wake refreshed
Scientists discovered that after a week of exposure to a natural light-dark cycle, they found it easier to drift off and were much more easily roused and alert in the morning.
‘By increasing our exposure to sunlight and reducing our exposure to electrical lighting at night, we can turn our internal clock and sleep times back and likely make it easier to awaken and be alert in the morning,’ said lead researcher Kenneth Wright, of the University of Colorado, Boulder.
‘What’s remarkable is how, when we’re exposed to natural sunlight, our clocks perfectly become in synch in less than a week to the solar day.’
Electrical lighting, which became widely available in the 1930s, and gadget such as televisions and iPads have affected our internal circadian clocks, which tell our bodies when to prepare for sleep and when to prepare for wakefulness.
One concern is that artificial lighting means we are to exposed light much later into the night than is normal in nature.
The study, published in the journal Current Biology, looked at the sleep patterns and measured the internal body clock of eight adults who were exposed to electrical lighting at home and work.
Individuals who described themselves as night-owls – who struggled to fall asleep in the evening – benefited the most from camping outdoors
They then examined the same individuals after they had spent a week camping in Colorado, with only sunshine and campfires the only forms of light.
In the first experiment, the volunteers tended to stay up until after midnight and to wake at 8am.
Scientists found artificial light resulted in a two-hour delay in their internal body clock.
But after spending time in nature, their body clock – and sleep pattern – shifted back two hours, even though the number of hours of rest remained the same.
Electrical lighting and gadget such as televisions and iPads have affected our internal body clocks
The study found that levels of melatonin, the ‘body clock’ hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles, only dropped off two hours after the participants woke up when they were exposed to artificial light.
The findings suggest in a modern loving environment, our biological night extends past our wake time and may explain why many feel sleepiest soon after waking in the morning.
With exposure to natural light, the decrease in melatonin shifted to the last hour of sleep time, helping people feel more alert in the morning.
Although camping is not a viable option for everyone, the scientists suggest other strategies to better synchronise our body clock and wake more refreshed.
A morning walk, sitting near a window at work, or going for a walk at lunchtime will help boost exposure to natural light. And in the evening, they recommend keeping the lights down low and turning the computers and TVs off.
‘Our findings suggest that people can have earlier bed and wake times, more conducive to their school and work schedules, if they were to increase their exposure to sunlight during the day and decrease their exposure to electrical lighting at night,’ said Professor Wright.
A previous study by Oxford University found that sitting next to the office window on a sunny day can help double an individual’s alertness compared to those stuck in the middle of a room under artificial lights.
They also found that for those who have trouble sleeping, a 30-minute walk in the bright morning sunlight could be the answer.
This effect is particularly marked in older people suffering early signs of dementia, with research showing that exposure to plentiful light during the start of the day improved sleep patterns and boosted their mental abilities by 10 per cent.
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I believe that we didn’t sleep when it got dark, I believe that humans got up at dusk, then later in the afternoon have a nap (most people and children get tired around 5pm) then stay up till about midnight to hunt nocturnal animals.
RESEARCH THAT SCIENTISTS!!
Rebecca
,
Leicester UK,
01/8/2013 23:37
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God help us all if Ian “I was too proud to sign on,despite living with a millionairess wife†Dungeon Schmidt reads this article.
TokyoRose
,
Jeopardy, United Kingdom,
01/8/2013 23:05
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I find this interesting my mind just cant stop thinking at night.
Bara C
,
Atlantis,
01/8/2013 23:01
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I’ve been camping a lot over the years and I’ve always slept better under canvas than I have in my own bed at home.
MaBle
,
Northumberland,
01/8/2013 22:55
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Love sleeping in a tent and hearing the rain outside! however, not so nice at a festival, hungover and it’s stifling hot inside and out.
Jenni
,
Gstaad, Switzerland,
01/8/2013 22:52
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I always sleep like a baby when camping in a tent! I can also sleep well on a sun lounger, it’s the fresh air! Babies sleep well left outside in their pram!
Here There
,
Uk,
01/8/2013 22:28
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Could you just not open the blinds of your bed room???
glenn40
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Bland town, United Kingdom,
01/8/2013 22:18
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They must have done some very in tents research to have discovered this.
Philip
,
Birmingham,
01/8/2013 22:01
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Best nights sleep in a tent
Marycub
,
Essex,
01/8/2013 21:50
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Obviously!!!
bagmonster
,
brighton,
01/8/2013 21:10
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