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Our bodies are naturally encoded to respond
to light and dark — sleeping with the rhythms of Mother Nature. The human body evolved to fall asleep soon
after the descent of night’s curtain and to wake with the appearance of the
dawn. Sleep cycles were governed by patterns of light and darkness for
thousands of years, meaning that for much of history, humanity has enjoyed
nine or more hours of sleep each night. Our bodies are naturally encoded to
respond to light and dark and sleep with the rhythms of Mother Nature. In the
present, artificial light has changed the way we schedule our day-to-day
lives, and most of us slumber for less than seven hours at a stretch. It is
possible, however, to come back to natural sleeping cycles by making a few
small changes. When our bodies and minds are attuned to the world’s natural
rhythms, we feel calmer, more centered, and more energetic while awake. Sleep
is more satisfying because we afford ourselves more than enough time for
restoration and rejuvenation. Our reliance on indoor lighting further
compounds our disassociation from the natural cycles of light and darkness
that would otherwise preside over our sleep. You can mimic the passage of the
day by changing the quality of the light. Sleeping without heavy drapery or
shades is best, so you can wake up with the sun. If sleeping by a window
without a curtain is not an option, you can use a dawn simulator lamp that
imitates the sun by growing steadily brighter with the coming of morning. You will likely discover that changing your
sleep patterns to be in sync with the daily cycle of light and darkness is
easy and that you feel more alive when your sleeping. Your waking rhythms
also will be in alignment to those of the Earth. Nature’s own phases will be
your guide to wellness, granting you more waking hours in the summertime when
you will benefit greatly from spending time outside and ensuring you get
plenty of sleep in the winter when you likely need it most. |
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