We all like sleep. It’s one of those things we all need and we all like and literally can’t live without. There is little as satisfying as a good night’s sleep – unfortunately many do not get a “good night’s sleep”. According to this article from the CDC 1 in 3 American adults don’t get consistently good sleep.
There are a number of causes of bad sleep, from stress to drinking to crappy beds to crying babies. But one important element of healthy sleep that is not commonly thought of is something called the Circadian Rhythm.
The Circadian Rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and various bodily functions in living organisms, including humans. It’s often referred to as the “body clock” because it orchestrates a 24-hour cycle of physiological and behavioral changes, influenced primarily by the light-dark cycle of the Earth’s rotation. It’s been a natural part of human existence since the beginning of time and is essential for maintaining optimal functioning of the body, including sleep patterns.
However, with the advent of indoor lighting over the last 100 years we have unnaturally changed the way our bodies interact with light, and as a result our circadian rhythm has been impacted greatly. This article explains some of the effects modern lighting has had on our sleep patterns.
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Key points about the Circadian Rhythm and its effects on sleep:
Sleep-Wake Cycle Regulation: The Circadian Rhythm helps synchronize the body’s sleep-wake cycle with the external environment. It signals when it’s time to be awake and alert and when it’s time to sleep. The internal clock is primarily controlled by a region in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), located in the hypothalamus.
Light and Melatonin: Light is the primary external cue that helps regulate the Circadian Rhythm. The retina in our eyes contains specialized cells called photoreceptors that detect light and send signals to the SCN. When light is detected, the SCN signals the pineal gland to reduce the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is often called the “sleep hormone” because its levels rise in the evening, promoting drowsiness and facilitating the onset of sleep.
Sleep Phases: The Circadian Rhythm influences the different phases of sleep. There are two main types of sleep: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep, which is further divided into stages 1, 2, and 3. These sleep stages follow a distinct pattern throughout the night due to the fluctuations in melatonin and other hormones.
Body Temperature and Alertness: The Circadian Rhythm also affects other bodily functions, such as body temperature and alertness. Body temperature tends to be higher during the daytime and lower during the nighttime. This temperature variation contributes to feelings of wakefulness during the day and sleepiness at night.
Jet Lag and Shift Work: Disruptions to the Circadian Rhythm can lead to issues like jet lag and difficulties in adjusting to shift work. Traveling across multiple time zones quickly can result in a misalignment between the internal clock and the new local time, causing sleep disturbances and general discomfort.
Individual Variations: While the average Circadian Rhythm follows a roughly 24-hour cycle, there are individual variations. Some people naturally have a preference for being more active and alert in the morning (morning larks), while others are more alert in the evening (night owls). These differences are partly influenced by genetics.
Blue Light Impact: Artificial light and the increasing use of electronic devices with screens emitting blue light, such as smartphones and computers, can disrupt the Circadian Rhythm. Blue light exposure in the evening can suppress melatonin production, delaying the onset of sleep and potentially leading to sleep problems.
In summary, the Circadian Rhythm plays a crucial role in regulating our sleep-wake patterns and influencing various physiological processes. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, exposing yourself to natural daylight during the day, and minimizing blue light exposure in the evening can help optimize your Circadian Rhythm and improve your sleep quality.
Does the lighting in my home impact the Circadian Rhythm?
Yes, the lighting in your home can significantly impact your circadian rhythm and overall well-being. The type, intensity, and timing of the lighting you’re exposed to can influence your body’s internal clock, sleep patterns, mood, and overall health. Here’s how:
Color Temperature: The color temperature of light refers to how “warm” or “cool” it appears. Light sources with higher color temperatures, such as daylight and cool white LED lights, emit more blue light. Exposure to blue-rich light during the daytime can help regulate your circadian rhythm by signaling to your body that it’s daytime and promoting alertness.
Evening Lighting: As the evening approaches, it’s beneficial to reduce your exposure to blue-rich light. Blue light exposure in the evening can disrupt your circadian rhythm by suppressing melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep and impacting sleep quality. Using warmer, dimmer lights in the evening can help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
Bedroom Lighting: The lighting in your bedroom is particularly important for sleep. Use soft, warm lighting before bedtime to create a relaxing atmosphere. Avoid bright overhead lights and opt for bedside lamps with lower intensity. If you need to get up during the night, use dim, red nightlights, as red light has a lesser impact on melatonin production.
Natural Light Exposure: Exposure to natural daylight during the day is crucial for maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm. Spend time outdoors or open your curtains to let in natural light. This helps regulate your internal clock and improve sleep quality.
Artificial Light Sources: Different light sources emit different spectrums of light. Traditional incandescent bulbs emit warmer light, while LED and fluorescent lights can vary in color temperature. Some modern LED lights are designed to mimic natural daylight, which can be useful during the day but should be avoided in the evening.
Lighting Control: Consider using smart lighting systems that allow you to adjust the color and intensity of your home lighting based on the time of day. Many of these systems have settings that automatically shift from cooler, brighter light during the day to warmer, dimmer light in the evening.
Blue Light Filters: If you can’t avoid using electronic devices with screens in the evening, use blue light filters or “night mode” settings to reduce the amount of blue light emitted.
In summary, paying attention to the lighting in your home, especially in the evening hours, can help you maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and improve your sleep quality. Creating a lighting environment that supports your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle can have positive effects on your overall well-being and daytime performance.
What can you do about it?
This all might sound a little dire, but it isn’t all doom and gloom. There are a number of things you can do to help improve your sleep quality and circadian rhythm:
- Get off your phone and TV before you go to bed – this is tough because it’s so easy to just scroll away on your phone while in bed. This writer is particular notorious for needing to watch nature documentaries prior to sleep (David Attenbourough starts speaking and I immediately knock out). However reducing consumption of these blue light intensive devices will help.
- Change Your Lighting – If your health and sleep quality is important to you, it might make sense to make the investment in a smart lighting technology like HomeGlo. Our system has been built to transform your home into a sanctuary that changes brightness, hue and intensity over the course of the day and has been designed precisely to help improve mood and sleep quality through lighting.
Sote tunapenda kulala. Ni moja ya mambo ambayo sisi sote tunahitaji na sisi sote kama na kihalisi haiwezi kuishi bila. Kuna kidogo kama kuridhisha kama usingizi mzuri wa usiku <unk> kwa bahati mbaya wengi hawapati <unk> usingizi mzuri wa usiku <unk>. Kulingana na CDC, 1 kati ya watu wazima 3 wa Marekani hawapati usingizi wa kutosha. Kuna sababu nyingi za usingizi mbaya, kuanzia mkazo, kunywa pombe, vitanda visivyofaa, na watoto wanaolia. "Kama sehemu muhimu ya usingizi wa afya, ambayo haijulikani sana, ni kitu kinachoitwa ""circadian rhythm.""" Mzunguko wa circadian ni utaratibu wa ndani wa mwili ambao unadhibiti mzunguko wa usingizi na uamsho na kazi mbalimbali za mwili katika viumbe hai, kutia ndani wanadamu. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""saa ya mwili"" ni mzunguko wa masaa 24 wa mabadiliko ya kisaikolojia na tabia, inayoathiriwa hasa na mzunguko wa giza na mwanga wa mzunguko wa Dunia." Imekuwa sehemu ya asili ya kuwepo kwa binadamu tangu mwanzo wa wakati na ni muhimu kwa kudumisha utendaji bora wa mwili, ikiwa ni pamoja na mifumo ya usingizi. Hata hivyo, kwa kuibuka kwa taa za ndani katika miaka ya 100 iliyopita, tumebadilisha njia ambayo miili yetu inashirikiana na mwanga, na kama matokeo, mdundo wetu wa circadian umeathiriwa sana. Makala hii inaeleza baadhi ya athari za taa za kisasa juu ya mtindo wetu wa kulala. Je, Unataka Kuboresha Utulivu Wako? HomeGlo ni mtoa huduma mkuu wa nyumbani taa automatisering, programu, na ushauri. Tunasaidia watu kulala vizuri, kuwa na maisha yenye afya na kufurahia nyumba yao zaidi na taa bora. Pata ushauri wa bure na ujue jinsi tunavyoweza kukusaidia. Mzunguko wa circadian (swali la usiku) ni mfumo wa mwili wa kulala na kuamka ambao unasaidia kuunganisha mzunguko wa mwili wa kulala na kuamka na mazingira ya nje. Inatoa ishara wakati ni wakati wa kuwa macho na tahadhari na wakati ni wakati wa kulala. Wakati wa ndani unadhibitiwa na sehemu ya ubongo inayoitwa suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) iliyoko hypothalamus. Mwanga ni kichocheo cha nje cha mwili ambacho husaidia kudhibiti mzunguko wa circadian. Retina ya jicho hufanyiza chembe za kipekee zinazoitwa photoreceptors, ambazo huona mwanga na kutuma ishara kwa SCN. Wakati mwanga unagunduliwa, SCN inatoa ishara kwa tezi ya pineal kupunguza uzalishaji wa homoni melatonini. Mara nyingi melatonini huitwa "homoni ya usingizi" kwa sababu viwango vyake huongezeka jioni, na hivyo kuchochea usingizi na kuwezesha kuanza kulala. Hatua za usingizi: Rhythm ya circadian huathiri hatua tofauti za usingizi. Kuna aina mbili za usingizi: usingizi wa REM (Rapid Eye Movement) na usingizi wa NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) ambao umegawanywa katika hatua za kwanza, mbili na tatu. Hatua hizi za usingizi hufuata muundo tofauti usiku kucha kwa sababu ya mabadiliko ya melatonini na homoni nyingine. Kiwango cha joto la mwili na tahadhari: Rhythm ya circadian pia huathiri kazi nyingine za mwili, kama vile joto la mwili na tahadhari. Joto la mwili huwa juu wakati wa mchana na chini wakati wa usiku. Tofauti hiyo ya halijoto huchangia hisia za kuwa macho mchana na kulala usiku. Jet Lag na Shift Work: Kuvunjika kwa Rhythm ya Circadian kunaweza kusababisha masuala kama vile Jet Lag na ugumu wa kurekebisha kazi ya zamu. Kusafiri kwa kasi katika maeneo mbalimbali ya wakati kunaweza kusababisha kutopatana kati ya saa ya ndani na wakati mpya wa eneo, na kusababisha matatizo ya usingizi na usumbufu wa jumla. Mzunguko wa kawaida wa circadian unafuata mzunguko wa masaa 24, lakini kuna tofauti za mtu binafsi. Watu wengine kwa asili hupendelea kuwa na shughuli nyingi na kuwa macho asubuhi (mwitu wa asubuhi), huku wengine wakiwa macho zaidi jioni (mwitu wa usiku). Tofauti hizo huathiriwa kwa sehemu na chembe za urithi. Madhara ya Nuru ya Bluu: Nuru ya bandia na kuongezeka kwa matumizi ya vifaa vya elektroniki na skrini zinazotoa nuru ya bluu, kama vile simu mahiri na kompyuta, zinaweza kuvuruga Rhythm ya Circadian. Kuangaliwa na mwanga wa bluu jioni kunaweza kuzuia uzalishaji wa melatonini, na hivyo kuahirisha kuanza kulala na uwezekano wa kusababisha matatizo ya kulala. Kwa muhtasari, mdundo wa circadian una jukumu muhimu katika kudhibiti mifumo yetu ya usingizi na kuamsha na kuathiri michakato mbalimbali ya kisaikolojia. Kuhifadhi ratiba ya kawaida ya usingizi, kujionyesha kwa mwanga wa kawaida wa mchana, na kupunguza mwangaza wa bluu jioni inaweza kusaidia kuboresha mzunguko wako wa circadian na kuboresha ubora wa usingizi wako. Je, taa za nyumbani kwangu huathiri mdundo wa mzunguko wa saa? Taa za nyumbani zinaweza kuathiri sana mzunguko wako wa circadian na afya yako. Aina, nguvu, na wakati wa taa unayokabiliwa nayo inaweza kuathiri saa ya ndani ya mwili wako, mifumo ya usingizi, hisia, na afya kwa ujumla. Hapa ni jinsi: Joto rangi: Joto rangi ya mwanga inahusu jinsi <unk> joto <unk> au <unk> baridi <unk> inaonekana. Vyanzo vya mwanga vyenye joto la rangi ya juu, kama vile mwanga wa mchana na taa nyeupe za LED, hutoa mwanga zaidi wa bluu. Kuangazwa na mwanga wenye rangi ya bluu wakati wa mchana kunaweza kusaidia kudhibiti mzunguko wako wa circadian kwa kuonyesha mwili wako kwamba ni mchana na kukuza tahadhari. Taa za jioni: Kadiri jioni inavyozidi kuwasili, ni vizuri kupunguza mwangaza wa rangi ya bluu. Kuangaliwa na mwanga wa bluu jioni kunaweza kuharibu mzunguko wako wa circadian kwa kuzuia uzalishaji wa melatonin, na kufanya iwe vigumu kulala na kuathiri ubora wa usingizi. Kutumia taa zenye joto na zenye giza usiku kunaweza kusaidia kuonyesha mwili wako kwamba ni wakati wa kupumzika na kujitayarisha kulala. Taa za chumba cha kulala: Taa za chumba cha kulala ni muhimu sana kwa ajili ya usingizi. Tumia taa laini, yenye joto kabla ya kulala ili kuunda hali ya kupumzika. Epuka taa zenye kung'aa juu ya kichwa na uchague taa za kitandani zenye nguvu ndogo. Ikiwa unahitaji kuamka wakati wa usiku, tumia taa nyekundu za usiku, kwani mwanga mwekundu una athari ndogo kwa uzalishaji wa melatonin. Kuangazia mwanga wa kawaida: Kuangazia mwanga wa kawaida wakati wa mchana ni muhimu kwa kudumisha rhythm ya circadian yenye afya. Tumia muda nje au fungua mapazia yako ili nuru ya asili iingie. Hii husaidia kudhibiti saa yako ya ndani na kuboresha ubora wa usingizi. Vyanzo vya Nuru ya bandia: Vyanzo tofauti vya nuru hutoa spectrums tofauti ya mwanga. Taa za kawaida za incandescent hutoa mwanga wa joto, wakati taa za LED na za fluorescent zinaweza kutofautiana katika joto la rangi. Taa za LED za kisasa zimetengenezwa kuiga mwanga wa mchana, ambayo inaweza kuwa na manufaa wakati wa mchana lakini inapaswa kuepukwa jioni. Kwa mfano, unaweza kutumia mfumo wa taa ya smart ambayo hukuruhusu kurekebisha rangi na nguvu ya taa kulingana na wakati wa siku. Mengi ya mifumo hii ina mipangilio ambayo hubadilika moja kwa moja kutoka kwa mwanga baridi, mkali wakati wa mchana hadi mwanga wa joto, wa giza jioni. Filters Blue Light: Kama huwezi kuepuka kutumia vifaa vya elektroniki na skrini katika jioni, kutumia filters bluu mwanga au <unk>night mode<unk> mipangilio ya kupunguza kiasi cha mwanga bluu iliyotolewa. Kwa ufupi, kuzingatia taa za nyumbani, hasa wakati wa jioni, kunaweza kukusaidia kudumisha mzunguko wa maisha na kuboresha hali yako ya usingizi. Kuunda mazingira ya taa ambayo inasaidia mzunguko wa mwili wako wa kawaida wa kulala na kuamka kunaweza kuwa na athari nzuri kwa ustawi wako wa jumla na utendaji wa mchana. Unaweza kufanya nini kuhusu jambo hilo? Yote haya yaweza kuonekana kuwa mabaya kidogo, lakini si mabaya kabisa. Kuna mambo kadhaa unaweza kufanya ili kusaidia kuboresha ubora wa usingizi wako na rhythm circadian: - Kupata mbali simu yako na TV kabla ya kwenda kitandani <unk> hii ni ngumu kwa sababu ni rahisi sana tu kuhamisha mbali kwenye simu yako wakati katika kitanda. Mwandishi huyu ni hasa mashuhuri kwa haja ya kuangalia filamu za asili kabla ya kulala (David Attenbourough anaanza kuzungumza na mimi mara moja knock nje). Hata hivyo kupunguza matumizi ya vifaa hivi bluu mwanga mkali itasaidia. Ikiwa afya yako na ubora wa usingizi ni muhimu kwako, inaweza kuwa na maana kufanya uwekezaji katika teknolojia ya taa ya akili kama HomeGlo. Mfumo wetu umejengwa ili kugeuza nyumba yako kuwa mahali patakatifu ambapo mabadiliko ya mwangaza, rangi na nguvu katika siku nzima na imeundwa hasa kusaidia kuboresha hali ya hewa na ubora wa usingizi kupitia taa.