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Brighten Up Your Life
Since then, scientists have found that exposure to the right kind of light at the right time of day can help treat depression, sleep problems, and jet lag, and might even boost concentration and performance. No one yet knows precisely what the ideal dose might be. But getting lots of bright light in the morning and relatively little in the evening seems to synchronize your body’s circadian rhythms—your patterns of sleepiness, wakefulness, alertness, and hormone production with the 24-hour solar day around which our lives are organized.
Although much of the research in this field has investigated the effects of special light boxes and experimental light bulbs in the laboratory, there’s reason to believe that you can reap some of the benefits of light in your own home. Studies show that people who get lighter exposure during the day have fewer sleep problems and less depression. A recent US study of more than 450 women found that those who got the most light, particularly in the morning, reported better moods and sleep.
A 30-minute outdoor walk each morning is a good start, but it isn’t the only way you can, or should, get the light you need. Here’s what you can do get your dose indoors.
Get some morning light
Put exercise equipment near a bright view. Some researchers speculate that combining exercise with morning light exposure may amplify light’s beneficial effects on mood, sleep, and alertness.
Anywhere you spend time in the morning should be well lit. Try a few bluish white compact fluorescent or halogen bulbs in or around your shower and mirror. These bulbs provide light that more closely resembles daylight than what’s emitted by traditional pear-shaped incandescent light bulbs. They cast a natural glow, don’t flicker, and fit virtually all fixtures. If you don’t have a window in your kitchen or in other spots where you spend time in the morning, add a couple of fluorescents or halogens in those areas, too. Insider tip: fit some fixtures with these bright bulbs and others with softer incandescent bulbs, which emit a less intense yellowish light. Turn on the former in the morning and use the latter in the evening, when it’s better to avoid bright light.
Vary the source of light
A single bulb rarely provides sufficient light in a room and can contribute to (temporary but annoying) eyestrain. Shoot for at least two sources per room, including ‘task lamps,’ such as under cabinet lights in the kitchen and crane-neck lamps over desks. Consider under cabinet plug-ins.
Get a better bounce
Wall sconces and track lights that angle bulbs at the ceiling or walls will reflect light off these surfaces, diffusing and softening it, and eliminating headache-inducing glare. Instead of bright, harsh light which hurt the eyes go in for soft lighting.
Dim your lights after 6 pm
Avoiding bright light in the evening also helps keep your circadian rhythms in sync with the 24-hour day. Use just enough light to read comfortably. Benefits: save power and sleep well.
Soften your computer screen
Basking in the glow of a computer screen for 3 or more hours late at night can disrupt your circadian rhythms, making it harder to fall asleep, says Bose. If you have lots of work to finish after 9 pm, set the brightness of your computer screen halfway between maximum and minimum. This will ensure that you are not wide awake after work.
Don't overdress your windows
Leave your bedroom curtains open a crack upon retiring. That will allow the light of dawn to shine in and filter through your eyelids. Research suggests that this can help keep your sleep/wake cycles on track, too. If light from nearby street lamps or homes keeps you from getting a good night’s sleep, however, close your drapes tight, but consider a bedside dawn simulator. They might not be easily available in India; pick up one on your next visit abroad. This lamp turns on at a preset time and gradually brightens. In a study of 125 adults with winter depression, researchers found that use of dawn simulators helped lift moods.
The light serotonin connection
How light keeps our circadian rhythms in sync is still a mystery. But some findings suggest that it affects the activity of serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ brain chemical targeted by antidepressants. Serotonin is also a precursor to melatonin, a hormone that is associated with sleep.