Sleep Detail: Part One

By: Dr. Irene Londer

Question… Why do most of us feel the need to end our day watching TV or staring at our phones and computers? According to Dan Miller, a personal trainer, and nutritionist at our Kannaway CBD company, who follows the concepts of evolutionary science, the television is our modern-day tribe. 

The television relaxes us because it fulfills our need to be with other people, to end our day feeling safe with light to see and people to observe, which helps us to end our day more relaxed so we can fall asleep. However, in modern times, the biggest disruptor of sleep are the exact devices we choose to watch to end our day. The TV, the phone, the e-reader, the computer, all use blue light. Blue light signals to the brain that it is daylight and to stop making melatonin. 

If you want better, more restorative sleep, here are some suggestions you should try:

• Getting the blue light off at least one hour before bedtime, two would be better. Turn the TV off, shut off the phone.

• Reading a book instead.

• Listening to a podcast instead of looking at the phone, simply put the phone face down to avoid seeing the light.

• Using a light source which utilizes reds, yellows, and orange light instead.

• Making sure your room is as dark as it can be. The darker you make your bedroom, the deeper you will sleep and wake up the next day feeling more refreshed. Darkness is a signal to the body that it is time to sleep. A dark room signals the body to start producing melatonin for sleep.

• Having the temperature in your room needs to be at least 5 degrees lower than you normally like it to be. A colder temperature in your room signals the body that it is the end of the day and to start producing melatonin to allow the body to sleep.

These actions steps are steps in the right direction to get a deeper more relaxing sleep. But there is more you must do. Stay tuned for the next month’s news to get the details on better sleep.