Our Relationship to Light

Humans are governed by a circadian rhythm. This is our internal 24-hour clock that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness. Our circadian rhythm influences other bodily processes like metabolism, hormone release, blood flow, and temperature. This rhythm is primarily governed by our day-night cycle. That is why consistent sleep patterns are very important. Another important part of the circadian rhythm is our relationship to light.

Background

Thanks to technological advances we have access to bright lights at all times of the day. This allows us to work late into the night get up early in the morning. However, not all light is created equal. Before modern times we were mostly governed by light from the sun. When it is dark we slept. When the sun came out, we woke-up and worked. If we needed to be up in the night we used candles or fire to see. Note that candles and fire provide light in the red spectrum. Our relationship to light was better when we were mainly governed by the day night cycle.

In modern times we have “better” lights that are available at the flick of a switch and brighter than ever before. Is this really good for us though? I’m sure you’ve heard of some of the discussion around blue light emitted from many electronic devices. Blue light increases eye strain and can suppress melatonin production thus interfering with sleep. Many electronics now offer blue light filter capabilities. That is only one spectrum of light however. We do not yet fully know how the other spectrums of light may impact our bodies.

Light Exposure Tips

We do have some general health tips however to improve your relationship to light. Number one, avoid blue light before bed. Its best if you avoid electronics completely, but if you must use them turn blue light filtration on or use a pair of blue light glasses. Number two, brightness is important. When the sun is setting, start dimming your lights. It can mess with our circadian rhythm to have bright lights on inside the house when it is dark outside. Thankfully, most lights can be made dimmable by simply switching the light switch and using dimmable bulbs.

Number three, pay attention to what lights you are using in your living spaces. Light bulbs have descriptors like soft white, cool white, and daylight. These bulbs emit light at different points of the light spectrum. Lights are also described as cooler or warmer. Warmer lights are closer to the red/yellow end of the spectrum. Cooler lights are closer to the blue end of the spectrum. Cooler or daylight bulbs are good for during the day use and are typically brighter. Warmer bulbs are better for morning and night time.

Number 4, even with the correct bulbs for the correct time of day, nothing beats natural light. To optimize your circadian rhythm, try to spend a half hour outside (combine with walking for exercise) during the sunrise and sunset. The sunset will help wake you up and the sunset will help prepare your body for sleep. Ideally, you would get outside in the sunrise within an hour of waking up. Also remember not to go from sunset light into bright daylight bulbs. That will ruin the effect of the sunset on your system!

Conclusion

These tips are not necessarily easy and you may not be able to institute them all at once. However, work on taking small steps towards improving your relationship to light. Another place to start is with sleep routines. Read this post regarding improving your sleep. It can be overwhelming, but small steps lead to big steps. Find one thing to change and build from there.