I have to admit, I was not much of a believer in this until I tried it. It is sort of funny that from a physiologic aspect I could give you all the information on the virtues of this but I still was not 100% sold. What I am talking about is full blackout sleep. This means no light at all - not even a dimmed down LED number on the clock. Fortunately my clock will dim down to total balckout. A few weeks ago I put up the blackout curtains in my bedroom, well actually I put one up and got busy for a week or two before I put the other set on the second window. I have been sleeping in total blackout for a few weeks now and I can tell you that my sleep has benefitted dramatically.
So why does this work? First and foremost is the cortisol response. Cortisol is that wonderful hormone that you want to have surging in the body when you wake up but you really want very little when it is time for sleep. Light stimulates cortisol. Cortisol helps keep you awake and alert, a good thing in the morning. BTW coffee is a major stimulant of cortisol - if you need your coffee in the morning in order to get moving, you are probably deficient in morning cortisol. For me, I do not NEED it in the morning but I like to kindly refer to it as the elixir of life - I WANT it in the morning. So back on point. Anything that excites or frustrates you will also create problems with evening cortisol. This is why it is important to wind down, don't stress about the day, do something relaxing for about an hour before bed. This is also a wonderful time to meditate.
A word of warning because I know some of you are reading this on one of those bright computer monitors just before bed. Bad idea. The light from the bright computer screens not only elevate your cortisol but also plummet your melatonin levels - double wammy for a night of tossing and turning. The good news, if you can't give up your evening computer time there are programs out there that will dim your screen to match the time of day or light in the room.
Going to bed at a consistent time each night will also help, this helps to keep the melatonin secretion consistent. You will cripple your melatonin release by going to bed at different times each night. One option is to dissolve 3mg of melatonin under your tongue each night about 30 minutes before bed - this is if you cannot keep a regular schedule.
Something else that can help is some oxytocin release and we all know how to make that happen.
So give some of these idea a try, the blackout has made a world of difference for me. I really have had much improved sleep quality.
Thank u I have been some major sleep problems. I don't drink caffeine drinks. I do struggle with som back and neck problems and I have a stimulator for the lower back I have nothing for the neck and there wanting. To take 2 bulged discs with bone spurs so he wanting to go through my the front of my throat and fuse them together and I just had gallbladder surgery it wasnt working and I'm still not heald completely from that and I knew there were alot of thing I could not eat when it was functioning and now still can't eat them and they r the fried, spicy, fatty foods. Lettuce and I put off the testing for years just going by ultrasound and figured since I have no stones then it was still working. I was going every 3 to 6 months to the ER and thought it was just my naughty stumach being bad but I wouldn't have heartburn for days and I thought it was just me not wanting to take so many meds. Apparently it was that until I went and stayed about a week in the hospital came home and struggled all night with being sick of my stomach and the pain and then puking everything up the evening before went back in and they got it out out on Monday.. And I ate something Which was out of normal for me and I threw it all back up a few hours later. Sorry for the misspelled words I'm writing this on my iPod and spell check has a mind of it's own. Lol
Posted by: Kristina | 03/21/2011 at 08:31 PM
MY iPod left out some parts. Hope u get the just of it. I swear I'm not that stupid. Lol
Posted by: Kristina | 03/21/2011 at 08:34 PM
I agree that darkness in the bedroom will improve your sleeping pattern. I would also encourage others to take out the television in the bedrooms. The bedroom has two purposes: sleep and sex.
Posted by: Kristina | 03/23/2011 at 09:51 AM