As the Sleep Features Editor for Tom’s Guide, part of my job is interviewing neuroscientists, doctors, psychologists and sleep experts to find out the key to getting consistently good sleep.
So, when I was experiencing a severe lack of energy, fatigue and brain fog throughout January, I refused to blame it on Blue Monday — a debunked marketing myth — and instead got on the phone to renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Lindsay Browning.
Surprise, surprise, the same tip I'd heard from countless other experts came up again: Get outside! As a work-from-home employee, getting daylight is near impossible in the winter months.
Turns out, I was underestimating its importance, so it was time to do something about it. Here’s how enjoying my morning coffee in the garden has transformed my energy and my sleep.
The one thing doctors told me to do for better sleep and maximum energy
Time and time again I have heard the same advice from sleep experts: you need natural daylight in the mornings.
Natural daylight sends a 'wake up' signal to your brain
Dr Nerina Ramlakhan
I always thought sitting by a window and looking outside was enough for our bodies to register that it was daytime and therefore a time to be awake. But I was wrong.
“Getting out early and starting your morning with natural daylight sends a 'wake up' signal to your brain,” explains Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, a sleep expert and neurophysiologist at Oak Tree Mobility.
While Dr Lindsay Browning said that even if it’s grey and miserable outside, the brightness of daylight and the light on our skin will still be effective in combatting sleep inertia (the scientific term for feeling groggy in the mornings).
But there's more to it than just feeling awake — doctors promise that daylight is the key to falling asleep fast and sleeping through the night. So I decided to give it a go.
After just a week, my energy is through the roof
So I decided to stop moaning about my fatigue and do something about it. For a week now, I’ve been stepping out into my garden, coffee in hand, to get my dose of natural daylight.
Unless my husband starts snoring, I usually sleep through the night
While I can’t get natural daylight as soon as I wake up, considering the sun doesn’t often rise for another hour or two, this boost of bright light at around 9-10am gets rid of the brain fog feeling that usually hangs around until midday (and sometimes beyond).
The combination of not looking at a screen for 10 minutes, getting fresh air, enjoying the bright light and listening to the birds is a combination that helps me relax, let go of any stress and feel ready for the day ahead.
Not only does my energy feel more consistent with less dips throughout the day, but come bedtime and I’m asleep in minutes — plus, unless my husband starts snoring, I usually sleep through the night.
How daylight helps us sleep better
So what’s happening? Why is daylight the single most important thing for our sleep and energy, according to doctors? Here's the science.
Light suppresses melatonin
Melatonin is the sleep hormone that we produce in response to darkness. It’s key in helping us fall asleep in the evenings. In the morning, if we still have a lot of melatonin in our systems, we can feel groggy.
Daylight naturally stops our bodies from producing this hormone.
“If in the morning, you’re not going outside and you’re getting lots of darkness, it could be that some of the grogginess you’re feeling... is partly because you haven’t suppressed that melatonin,” Dr. Browning explains.
By getting plenty of natural light, our bodies become more sensitive to light changes as a cue for the proper function of our circadian rhythm (our internal body clock).
This means our melatonin response in the evening will be more effective, making it easier to fall asleep fast.
Morning daylight stimulates cortisol production
As well as suppressing melatonin, natural daylight in the morning can help stimulate cortisol production — an important hormone that helps us feel alert and awake. This natural rise of cortisol in the morning is called the cortisol awakening response (CAR).
“Aim for 10 to 30 minutes of natural sunlight or bright light (10,000 lux) within an hour of waking to boost the CAR,” advises Dr. Andrew Franklyn-Miller, Chief Medical and Innovation Officer at Nuritas.
This will help maintain your energy levels throughout the day and avoid dips, as well as fight off any stubborn sleep inertia in the mornings.
Light helps produces serotonin
Natural sunlight on our skin is one of the most important sources of vitamin D — an essential nutrient we need to function.
“[vitamin D] also helps production of serotonin which is a precursor to melatonin,” says Dr.Otulana, a GP and physician.
Serotonin is often thought of as the ‘happy’ hormone, and it’s true that it helps boost our mood, but as Dr. Otulana says, most importantly when we’re considering sleep is serotonin’s role in the production of melatonin.
Enough serotonin means we can produce enough melatonin, leading to shorter sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) and reduced nighttime wakeups.
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