When you’re tossing and turning at night, feeling completely exhausted in the morning, it could be that your internal clock is out of whack. The good news is that there might be a simple cure for your sleep problems. All you need to do is spend some time in your backyard or even better, go camping.
Sleeping Outdoors for a Week Can Reset Your Circadian Rhythm
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have found that sleeping outdoors for about a week can help you get in sync with your body’s natural day-night cycle. Their study shows that a week of exposure to true dawn and dusk without electric lights can reset your physiological settings, helping you sleep better and wake up more refreshed.
According to researcher Kenneth Wright, “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.”
Studying the Effects of Natural Light on Sleep
To test this theory, the researchers examined the internal circadian timing of eight adults after one week of routine work, school, social activities, and self-selected sleeping schedules with normal exposure to electrical lighting. Then, they took those same people on a camping trip in Colorado, allowing them to experience sunlight and campfires only – no flashlights or smartphones were permitted.
The study found that a typical modern environment causes about a two-hour delay in the circadian clock, indicated by fluctuations in the hormone melatonin. People tend to stay up until after midnight and wake up around 8 a.m.
However, after a week of natural lighting out in the open, all measures of circadian timing shifted two hours back, and sleep schedules followed suit. Interestingly, the total time spent sleeping remained about the same.
Can’t Go Camping? Try These Tips Instead
If camping isn’t your cup of tea or you’re unable to take a week off to sleep outdoors, try incorporating these changes into your daily routine:
- Get some sunlight during the day: Make a point of spending time outdoors during daylight hours. This can help regulate your body’s internal clock and improve your sleep pattern. If you work indoors, consider taking a walk outside during your lunch break, or adding outdoor activities to your weekend plans.
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Turn off your devices earlier at night: Exposure to the blue light emitted by smartphones, computers, and other electronic devices can interfere with your sleep by suppressing melatonin production in your brain. Turn off these devices at least an hour before bedtime to give your brain a chance to unwind and prepare for sleep.
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Create a sleep-friendly environment: Make your bedroom as dark and quiet as possible, ensuring it is cool and comfortable. This will help signal to your brain that it’s time for sleep. If you can’t eliminate all sources of light from your room, consider investing in blackout curtains or a sleep mask.
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Wake up and go to bed at the same time: Try to keep a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends. This will help train your body to understand when it’s time for sleep and when it’s time to be awake. It might be difficult at first, but over time, it will become easier to maintain this schedule.
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Resist the snooze button: While it might be tempting to hit the snooze button for a few more minutes of sleep, doing so can disrupt your body’s natural waking process and leave you feeling groggy for the rest of the day. Instead, try setting your alarm for the exact time you need to wake up and resist the urge to snooze.
While it might not be possible for everyone to go camping for a week, being mindful of your exposure to natural and artificial light can have a significant impact on your sleep quality. By taking these steps to reset your body’s internal clock, you’ll be well on your way to a better night’s sleep and a more energetic, alert morning.
