Exploring Wellness for Body, Mind and Self: The Sleep - Sunshine Connection
From Anne Meneghetti, MD, 3/4/2009 12:52:45 PM
Dr. Anne is the resident physician for the Life, Love & Health radio show airing on XM radio and NPR affiliates, among others. She has won numerous awards for her work in health policy and promotion of medical nutrition therapy and anti-smoking treatment.
Direct sunlight affects natural hormones in the brain that sets the internal clocks in our bodies. The brain’s pineal gland is the body’s internal light meter. It secretes the natural hormone melatonin according to a day-night cycle called a circadian rhythm. Activity of the gland is low during daylight hours; during darkness it secretes melatonin in much higher levels. Even if a person stays in a dark room for days in a row without sunlight, this natural cycle of melatonin will continue for a few days.
By the time we approach 70 years of age, the pineal gland produces much less melatonin compared to in youth. Certain drugs can alter the natural melatonin cycle. Caffeine and alcohol can also affect melatonin levels.
The pineal gland is a sensitive light meter. Exposure to sunlight during the day and deep darkness at night help support natural melatonin production. Spend at least 10 minutes in sunlight each day, if possible, to attune your clock to the rhythms of the season. Keep the bedroom as dark as possible at night; even a low lighting can be enough to affect melatonin secretion. Creating a contrast between a little sunshine during the day and a dark quiet room at night can provide the body with useful clues that it is time to sleep.
Wishing you a good night’s rest,
Dr. Anne
This information is purely educational and does not replace a physician's advice that may be unique to each individual. For all medical concerns, please see a physician to establish a diagnosis and explore proven treatments.
