Let
the Sun Shine in Your Home!
By Jeanette Joy
Fisher
With all the summer
extreme heat, it's tempting to close your
window coverings and keep your home like a
shady cave for respite. |
| Just
like house plants need sunlight, so do you! |
 |
Science has known about
the concept of circadian rhythm (CR) for a
long time. In short, your CR is your body's
internal clock, and it regulates all of your
biological processes. CR is mainly dependent upon
sunlight to keep your CR regular and healthy.
Even if you don't know anything about CR, you're
familiar with its effects. For instance, if you
get sleepy in the mid-afternoon or if you seem to
get your best work done late at night, you're
being guided by your body's internal CR. That same
system controls things such as your heart rate,
blood pressure, and body temperature, so it's
important to pay attention to your body's natural
CR if you're going to be effective in your daily
life.
Sunlight and Daylight
Hours
Although scientists haven't nailed down all the
factors involved, the most important factor
they've identified for keeping your CR in balance
is sunlight. CR is what helps keep your body alert
during daylight hours and then helps you relax
when night starts to fall so you'll be able to
sleep. It's also your CR that wakes you up in the
morning on time, even on days when you forgot to
set your alarm the night before.
One of the best ways to maintain a healthy CR is
to make sure your home has lots of sunlight. If
you find yourself feeling somewhat out of sorts or
down for no particular reason, it may be that your
body is craving sunlight. A simple thing like
opening the drapes and letting the sunshine in may
help rebalance your CR.
Sleep Disorder - SAD
A widespread sleep disorder called Seasonal
Affective Disorder (SAD) has been found to be
caused by a disruption in people's CR. Sometimes
called the "Winter Blahs," SAD is felt most
acutely during the winter months, when there's
less sunlight available. This is especially
noticeable in people who live in northern areas of
the world, where the amount of sunlight decreases
significantly during winter months, or in areas
such as the Pacific Northwest, where there's a
great deal of rain. Depression and sleeping
difficulty are the most common effects of SAD, and
it can be severe enough to cause sufferers to
become suicidal.
Melatonin and Sleep
Scientists have discovered that your CR is
regulated by your body's production of a compound
known as melatonin, which is a hormone secreted by
the pineal gland, located between the two
hemispheres of your brain. If you've been
experiencing sleep difficulties, it would be
worthwhile to check your melatonin level. There
are melatonin supplements available over the
counter, but if they don't seem to help, ask your
doctor about other alternatives that may be
available.
Let the Sun Shine in!
Research in CR is ongoing, but you can take the
first steps toward balancing your own CR by
bringing plenty of sunlight into your home and by
doing your best to try to maintain a regular
schedule, including going to bed and getting up at
essentially the same time every day. Keeping a
strict routine may be difficult, but opening the
curtains in your home is easy, and it will go a
long way toward helping keep your circadian rhythm
in balance.
Go Outside
Even thought you want to
keep your cool during the hot steamy summer,
remember--you need sunlight. You don't need so
much that you get sun burned. Just like everything
in life--balance is key. So, enjoy your summer,
let the sun shine in your home and on your body,
too!
Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher
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