Monday, August 24, 2009

Your Internal Clock - Is It Keeping You Awake?

By Lucretia Sandholm

Your circadian rhythm and it's level of function is closely connected to insomnia. While it is commonly believed that the circadian rhythm has to do with the time of day, it has a lot to do with the amount of light or darkness. We all have a clock inside that gives us a nudge when it is time to go to sleep for the night and when it is time to get up.

It is this internal clock that is known as the circadian rhythm. Hormones secreted through out the day are governed by this internal clock, and so are body temperature and our level of mental alertness.

The circadian rhythm is partially responsible for us feeling sleepy or sluggish with low energy, certain times during the 24 hour cycle, and for having abundant energy other times during the cycle. Those with a sleeping disorder related to their circadian rhythm tend to feel tired when they should be alert and vice versa. Those working the night shift tend to suffer from this type of sleep disorder.

Light, as in bright natural sun light, is one of the largest factors of regulating your circadian rhythm. Not getting enough light for extended periods of time can cause low energy and fatigue. Those in northern climates can readily see this towards the end of the winter.

The most common way to help correct sleep disorders related to your circadian rhythm is to use special forms of light therapy to slowly reset your internal clock. Using light therapy is a very simple process. It requires the proper lightning and about 30 to 60 minutes of your time every day in conjunction with following a strict sleep regimen. The light used for this form of therapy is usually delivered using a special device known as a light box. Light boxes in most cases use specialized fluorescent light bulbs that have a LUX value between 5000 and 10,000.

To be successful with the light therapy the most important aspect is to time the light exposure correctly.Proper timing will be based on not only your schedule but also the type of insomnia. - 14130

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