A healthy person who leads a measured, correct way of life, in light time of day is vigorous and active, easily and quickly falls asleep at night, sleeps all night calm deep sleep, wakes up fresh and rested. A full night’s sleep is necessary for good health and mood.
If you do:
- you have trouble falling asleep in the evening and wake up in the morning, or on the contrary, you’ll fall asleep long before sunset and wake up without an alarm clock long before sunrise;
- day in and day out, you’re overwhelmed by chronic fatigue, apathy, you’re constantly in a bad mood and you only have one desire – to sleep;
- your night sleep is shallow, anxious and interrupted by the slightest noise,
There’s an urgent need to rectify the situation. Otherwise, more serious problems may be added to the abovementioned troubles.
Light therapy helps to restore a person’s ability to fall asleep on time, easily wake up and feel good all day long. The healing effect of light is based on the amazing ability of our body to build its life cycle in unison with the world around us, guided by the “sun”.
Circadic rhythms and the “sleep hormone” melatonin
Daily alternations of sleep and waking periods, and with them and various physiological and biochemical processes, are called circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are associated with the cycle of “light darkness” and are regulated by the “inner clock”. The main “clockmaker” is the hormone melatonin. It is produced at night in the epiphysis – a small gland resembling a lump, which is located in the brain.
Melatonin “guides” our night’s sleep, making it a complete rest. In the morning, sunlight penetrates the eye skin and acts on the special receptors of the retina. These receptors through a special “communication center” (suprachiasmatic nucleus) “inform” the epiphysis that it is morning, the body has time to wake up, and the pineal gland can rest. Therefore, at dawn, the production of “sleep hormone” slows down and gradually stops.
However, sometimes “melatonin watches” stop working correctly, they need to be “wound up” and/or “tuned up”. Exposure to light with a certain intensity and wavelength makes it possible to cope with this difficult task.
How and where light is treated with people with a “wrong inner clock”.
The intensity of the light and the duration of the light therapy session are inversely dependent and can be selected individually for each person. The session can last from 20 to 45 minutes.
Light therapy for sleep disorders associated with circadian rhythm disorders is available at the sanatorium, rehabilitation centre or physiotherapy department of the clinic, but is not necessary. Appearance of high-tech mobile devices, made it possible to perform light therapy at home.
Which can cause circadian rhythm disorders
Disruption of synchronization of sleep and other physiological processes over time occurs for a variety of reasons, including:
- lack of sunlight in the autumn-winter period;
- the “wrong” work schedule;
- rapid change of time zone.
In these cases, exposure to light becomes the main and very effective way to align your internal clock to the daily cycle.
Circadian rhythm disturbances can also be associated with stress, age-related changes and various diseases. If the doctor considers it necessary and possible, ‘healing light’ is included in the comprehensive treatment schemes for these people.
Light therapy is the best cure for autumn spleen
If we are young and healthy, do not work on night shifts or days, do not live under constant stress, then our circadian rhythms are synchronized with the time of day. Therefore, we do not have problems with falling asleep and waking up, we sleep well at night, and during the day we feel rested and full of energy.
Long grey autumn or snowless, poor sunny winter can disturb this harmony.
Lack of sunlight and dazzling white snow have a bad effect on our mood and condition:
- we become sleepy, sluggish, irritable;
- our performance drops, our reaction, our memory and our ability to concentrate;
- we’re constantly drawn to sweets, and our sexual desire, on the contrary, disappears.
Just a few sessions of light therapy – and a man forgets about the autumn moping. The magic effect of light puts everything in its place: we sleep well at night, cheerful in the morning, can enjoy life, work effectively, do without extra calories and accident-free driving.