In last week’s blog we talked about avoiding blue light late at night. I gave you examples on what you can do to help you fall asleep faster. If you haven’t read it, go check it out and then come back to this post.
The blue light blocking glasses I introduced last week are a huge helper in resetting your circadian rhythm. If you work on a screen for most of the day and into the evening then those are a definite must if you don’t want to sabotage your restful sleep.
Besides wearing these glasses there are other things we can, or maybe need to do, to make sure we get a good night’s sleep.
For example the fact that sleeping in a pitch dark bedroom is necessary to give your body the information that the sleep hormones need to be activated and that sleep is imminent. If there is the slightest bit of light hitting your face – especially the eyes -, your body isn’t quite sure what time of day it is. It could be only late afternoon instead of late at night and therefore the melatonin secretion might not be as strong as it should be at this time of day.
Before knowing this, I sometimes didn’t even close my blinds in the bedroom, leaving myself exposed to quite some light coming in from outside. My husband would stay up later than me and there was also artificial light coming into my bedroom…I created a huge confusion for my body deciding if it was the right time to sleep or not.
My efforts to make my bedroom pitch dark also failed as I realized that my blinds still let light in from the sides and the light comes in from under the door. I started wearing an eye mask to get the required darkness.
At first I was hesitant, wasn’t an eye mask only for old people. I remember watching these TV shows where the old ladies would wear eye masks and I thought it looked pretty stupid…
But oh boy, did it make a difference for me, wearing my black-out eye mask each night. Sleep comes so much faster and I could feel aligning more with the natural way of sleeping that we all start out with when we first enter this world.
So if your sleep could use some improvement, I highly encourage you to try out sleeping masks. They work for all groups of ages. Even my kids love to sleep with the masks.
I put down some recommendations below. I have tested them and we like using them on a daily basis.
TRAVEL
Cotton eye mask blocks light – good for travel – with pouch/shift work/ adjustable
3D MASK MEN/WOMEN
2-PACK W. EAR PLUGS + TRAVEL BAG
SILK SLEEP MASK
2-PACK, REDUCES PUFFY EYES
KIDS SLEEP MASKS
2-PACK, CUTE UNICORNS (2 COLORS)
KIDS SLEEP MASKS
3- PACK, CUTE ANIMAL DESIGNS
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