Why Darkness Matters For Sleep?
Darkness is essential to sleep. Light has a profound effect on our sleep. The absence of light sends a critical signal to the body that it is time to rest. Light exposure at the wrong times alters the body's internal sleep clock the biological mechanism that regulates sleep-wake cycles in ways that interfere with both the quantity and quality of sleep.
The optic nerves in our eyes sense light and transmit a signal to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) telling the brain that it's time to wake up. This is known as a natural circadian rhythm.
This signal helps initiate the body's physiological preparations for sleep muscles begin to relax, feelings of drowsiness increase, body temperature drops.An asleep routine that includes a gradually darkening environment can help. Exposure to light during sleep makes it difficult for your brain to achieve a deeper sleep. Even if you do manage to fall asleep with lights on in your bedroom, you may not get enough rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The other stage of sleep is non-REM, which includes light sleep and deep sleep. Light during sleep has also been linked to the following side effects.
- Increased risk of chronic illnesses
- Accidents
- Obesity
- Depression
- Tiredness
