Day Five: Wake Up With The Sun
According to the Journal of Physiology, there is evidence for a biological dawn and dusk in the human circadian timing system. The results of this study suggest a model of the human circadian timing system in which two states, one diurnal and one nocturnal, alternate with one another, and in which transitions between the states are switch-like and are separately entrained to dawn and dusk. The study findings suggest that when the sun goes down, our bodies start secreting melatonin, our core body temperature goes down, we become sleepy, Theta activity increases, REM activity propensity increases, and sleep propensity increases. Likewise when the sun rises our bodies do the opposite- melatonin secretion stops, our core temperature rises, sleepiness decreases, theta activity decreases, REM propensity decreases, and sleep propensity decreases. So basically the sun’s light sets our internal sleep clock- when it sets for sleep and when it rises to wake up.
When we consider that most of us are not exactly falling asleep when the sun goes down and waking up when the sun rises it's no wonder why an estimated 30-50 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. Our internal clocks are not functioning the way they were designed because we have forced them into an unnatural state by staying up too late and waking up too early or by an alarm clock. So how can we fix this? By looking into the gifts nature has offered us in the form of the sun and its light.
Listen to this meditation: Awakening with the Sun by Pause & Breathe
Activity: Choose one morning in the next few days that you can leave all your curtains in your room open, turn off your alarm, and wake up naturally to the sun’s rays. Once you are awake, get out of bed and go directly outside and sit or take a walk in the sun’s rays for 15-20 minutes. Don’t wear a hat or sunglasses, just allow the sun to shine on you, your eyes, and your body to absorb the benefits of the light. You can wear sunblock if you like, and will still benefit from the light with it on. Light therapy can help get your internal clock back in sync and has been studied in relation to numerous medical conditions, including insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson disease, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Share: Share in the Facebook group how it felt to wake up to the sun. Share a photo of your sunrise.
Recite the following affirmation out loud: “I am able to accept the gift of light from the sun that will reset my internal clock.”
Further Reading: The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight
Go back to:
Introduction
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
When we consider that most of us are not exactly falling asleep when the sun goes down and waking up when the sun rises it's no wonder why an estimated 30-50 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. Our internal clocks are not functioning the way they were designed because we have forced them into an unnatural state by staying up too late and waking up too early or by an alarm clock. So how can we fix this? By looking into the gifts nature has offered us in the form of the sun and its light.
Listen to this meditation: Awakening with the Sun by Pause & Breathe
Activity: Choose one morning in the next few days that you can leave all your curtains in your room open, turn off your alarm, and wake up naturally to the sun’s rays. Once you are awake, get out of bed and go directly outside and sit or take a walk in the sun’s rays for 15-20 minutes. Don’t wear a hat or sunglasses, just allow the sun to shine on you, your eyes, and your body to absorb the benefits of the light. You can wear sunblock if you like, and will still benefit from the light with it on. Light therapy can help get your internal clock back in sync and has been studied in relation to numerous medical conditions, including insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson disease, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Share: Share in the Facebook group how it felt to wake up to the sun. Share a photo of your sunrise.
Recite the following affirmation out loud: “I am able to accept the gift of light from the sun that will reset my internal clock.”
Further Reading: The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight
Go back to:
Introduction
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four