Recommendation
Recommendation
Do you have trouble falling asleep and getting going in the morning? Could this be related to constant light sources?
Our sleep-wake cycle is largely influenced by our internal clock. This, in turn, is regulated by daylight. At night, the pineal gland produces the sleep hormone melatonin and distributes it throughout the brain. Melatonin makes us sleepy and activates our immune system, allowing us to rest and recover. Melatonin also dampens our mood and is therefore also called the “brooding hormone.” As a result, problems often weigh more heavily on us at night and seem bigger than they do during the day.
The pineal gland is closely connected to the optic nerve and produces melatonin as soon as it gets dark. However, if light hits the retina for an extended period, melatonin production stops. Instead of melatonin, its counterpart, cortisol, takes over. This is produced at the first light of day and prepares our body for waking up.
That is why we often feel more tired and downcast in winter, when there is less daylight, than in summer. For restorative sleep and a refreshed awakening, we need our bodies to be well-conditioned for the phases of sleep and the phases of wakefulness.