The Power Of Light And Our Internal Clock

Light has always been associated with positive emotions. In the summer, when the days are longer and there is more light, it seems that we are always cheerful. Those wonderful sunny days by the sea, a picnic in the mountains or enjoying the sun on a terrace are unforgettable. The power of light should not be underestimated.

Spring and summer are periods of expansion, of daring and experimentation. They are the opposite of autumn and winter, with their rain and short days, which makes us prefer to sit inside rather than go out.

Just as our moods and energy change seasonally, so do shorter cycles, such as day and night.

The power of light and natural cycles

The hypothalamus is a small area located in the deepest part of the brain, called the reptilian brain. It is an essential structure responsible for regulating the basic processes of life, such as body temperature, food and fluid intake or libido, as well as regulating emotions. We feel hungry or full, anxious or calm… This depends on the hormones that are located in this part of the brain.

As with anything related to the brain, this is a very complex structure. However, we do know one thing for sure: One of the factors that decisively influences the function of the hypothalamus is the light it receives from the outside world.

The brain evolved naturally. The most “natural” thing is that during the day, when the brain receives a lot of sunlight, it understands that it is time to be active. The reverse happens at night, when we are surrounded by darkness. Then it is time for rest and renewal. Today, however, these terms are no longer fixed. Artificial light allows us to stay awake until the wee hours.

This change in natural cycles disrupts our internal clock and affects our health.

Not respecting natural cycles affects health

Our bodies and internal clocks are designed to respect the cycles of light. During the day, we need to be exposed to sunlight to maintain optimal energy levels. Artificial light is not a substitute for sunlight. That is why there is often fatigue, and we need coffee to get everything done.

In the long term, a lack of direct sunlight increases the risk of depression. That’s why in the winter, when the days are shorter and we come home when it gets dark, it’s much more common for people to get depressed. In addition, the sun is the main source of vitamin D, which is essential for calcium in the bones. The power of light can affect our bodies in so many ways.

How we wake up matters

Another amazing example of the power of light on our bodies has to do with the way we wake up. Usually we set the alarm for a certain time in the morning, and that alarm interrupts our sleep very abruptly. We turn on the light in the room, and go from the darkness of night to daylight in an instant.

In nature, sunrise is something that happens gradually, and our brains are programmed to wake up that way. With the gradual increase of natural light, the brain wakes up to gradually leave the dreams. Not respecting our bodies in this way is the reason we can’t get out of bed. It’s so hard to get started in the morning!

Aside from the sleepiness we have when we get up, this way of waking up makes us carry this fatigue with us all day long. It causes great stress, because the natural sleep processes, which are necessary for good rest and renewal, have not worked properly.

Control your internal clock

There are some things we can do to regulate our internal clock:

• Try to adapt your schedule to the natural cycles as much as possible by listening to your body. Some people are more active in the morning and others in the afternoon, but staying up into the wee hours of the morning isn’t good for anyone.

• Try to spend as much time as possible in daylight during the day. This is very complicated in our busy modern lives, but try to get at least half an hour of direct sunlight a day. Here too, the power of light is essential.
• Try to make the area around you as dark as possible in the hours before you go to sleep. Turn on as few lights as possible and if you can avoid a computer or mobile screens, do so.
• Try not to wake up abruptly. Since it is almost impossible to wake up with the natural morning light, because it does not fit into our schedules, a ‘wake-up light’ is a good solution. This is an alarm clock that gradually lights up the room until the time we need to wake up, imitating a real sunrise.