Better Sleep Month Series: Summer Sleep Problems
It's the time of year again when days are getting long and children everywhere insist that it can't be bedtime -- it's still light outside!
Don't tell them so, but the kids are right. It is harder to fall asleep when the sun is up. That's because sunlight cues our brains to produce serotonin, which helps us feel awake and alert. Those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome generally don't have enough serotonin, and many of us take drugs or supplements that raise serotonin levels (SSRIs, SNRIs, SAM-e, 5-HTP).
So if you're having trouble sleeping on long, sunny days, does that mean you should take less of those things? No! Not only can that be dangerous and cause a lot of your symptoms to come back, it also wouldn't help you sleep. That's because our brains use serotonin to make melatonin, which makes us tired.
So what's the solution? My idea is evening light control, because lower light levels and darkness cue our brains to produce melatonin. If you're outside late in the evening or have the lowering sun shining in your windows, you likely won't have enough melatonin to fall asleep at a decent hour. It could help to stay inside for a couple of hours before you'd like to be in bed, keep your lights off, and make sure your windows are well covered. (Remember that light from a TV or computer screen can be enough to inhibit melatonin production -- try turning them off an hour or so before bed.)
We also sleep better when our bodies are cool, so if it's hot in your house or (like me) you have trouble cooling down, you might try soaking your feet in cool water or using other cooling products in the evening.
Have you ever tried light control to help you sleep better? Has it worked? Do you find that you have more trouble sleeping during the sunnier months? Share your experiences by leaving a comment below!
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Regarding light and sleep, I find the change in seasons to be a double edged sword.
In the summer it is harder to get to sleep and in the winter I am more depressed.
In the summer when it stays light longer, I find that if I use an eye mask, it really helps with the light issue. Now if the kids next door would just drown in their pool and not make noise until 10:30 at night I’d really be in sleep heaven.
Just kidding of course…most of the time. ( :
I find that blinders/mask and Mack’s earplugs drown out the noise and light and help a lot.
I too use a sleep mask, at my doctor’s suggestion, which has made a world of difference especially in being able to sleep past sunrise.
For noise issues (neighbours plus the very loud robin who starts singing at 4:30am) I use a sound machine on a waterfall setting that’s similar to white noise. Earplugs are helpful if travelling.
The best sleep I have ever gotten occured while the power was out due to a storm. The went home from work, ate dinner, and then relaxed whild I watched the inside of my house grow dark. About two hours later I was very relaxed and got to bed at a decent hour. I slept like a baby and felt great the next day. I was fortunate enought to have the power outage last for four days.