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How
To Achieve Total Darkness for Better Sleep (and Health)
Darkness is needed to get a good night's sleep. And the more
darkness, the better. If you are having trouble sleeping and
your bedroom is not totally dark when you try to sleep, you
should take steps to eliminate or, at least, reduce the light.
Sleeping in complete darkness is important to getting a good
night's sleep because darkness or night increases the production
of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal
gland in the brain and controls the body’s sleeping cycle.
Melatonin is believed to cause a person to fall asleep faster
and sleep better.
If you are exposed to light while you are trying to sleep, melatonin
won't rise to high enough levels to do its job. Light coming
in from the window, light entering from another room, or even
a night light can disrupt the production of melatonin. In other
words, if you want the best opportunity to fall asleep quickly
and sleep soundly, you must have darkness.
In addition, new research shows that artificial light at night
can be a cancer risk for women.
So there are important health reasons to eliminate light at
night as well.
Below are ways to ensure that you sleep in as much darkness
as possible:
External
resources
The
Atlantic article -- Hello Darkness
National
Institues of Health
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