How your daily exposure to light can affect your nighttime sleep.

The most important part of optimizing your quality of sleep is what kind of light you expose your eyes to at what times.

Did you know that the most important part of your sleep quality may actually be your morning routine?

Have you ever heard of your “circadian rhythm”?

Light is everything for your sleep-wake hormone cycle: It defines it, puts boundaries around it, and artificial light can really mess it up. Thanks, Thomas Edison.

Did you know that if you put fruit flies in an artificially lit environment, leave the lights on at night & turn them off during the day, their circadian rhythms & sleep-wake hormones will adjust to keep them awake during the night and asleep during the day?

You also may have experienced jet lag when you travel from one time zone to another. Or if you’ve ever had an infant or worked the night shift, you’ve probably noticed that you feel pretty horrible the next day.

This is your disgruntled circadian rhythm talking!

But the most important part of your bedtime routine is your morning routine.

Exposure to bright light in the morning is what sets your biological clock to release melatonin 16 hours later. Basically, the more light that comes into the eyes in the morning, the better. And where do you get the most light? OUTSIDE.

The best “nighttime routine” will get you outside in the morning light as soon as possible because it sets your circadian clock to release melatonin 16 hours or so later.

Incredible right?

The other critical element of establishing a healthy sleep-wake rhythm and helping your body release those lovely sleep-wake hormones is your nighttime exposure to light.

If you are exposed to bright overhead light at night? Your body is going to think it’s still day. Think of it this way: if it’s dark outside, you should only have lamp or candle light. At least dim your overhead lights.

Better yet, purchase lightbulbs that can change color. During the day you can choose bright white light, yellow in the late afternoon, and red at night from dawn and later.

Sleep is so important for so many reasons:

• it helps us regulate our stress hormones

• maintain a healthy weight

• build muscle

• and recover from exercise and daily stressors

Use these two easy habits to begin prioritizing healthy sleep in your home for everyone: newborns to great grandparents and beyond.