Lighting and prepping your home environment for down-time is crucial
If we were to look back, long, long ago when our ancestors roamed this earth, they did not sit in well-lit rooms at night.
When the sun went down, it got dark.
The human body hasn’t evolved too much since those times. We still need a wind-down, a slowing of the system in preparation for sleep.
We all know not to use technology leading up to bedtime, but what else can we do to help prepare our body for sleep?
Tips to bring back “the Cave”
- Use the natural light of the day for as long as possible, don’t automatically turn on the lights as it darkens
- When it gets dark enough, turn on a few little lights (not the full bright lights of the lounge/kitchen!)
- Choose bulbs that emit YELLOW light (also called “warm” light), not “cold” variations
- Use Candles when/where possible; night-lights for kids in their room or hallway
- Think of it like “mood-lighting” for your brain and nervous system. We need to help our body down-regulate after the day
- Creating a “sunset” feel in your house that mirrors what is happening outside
Do it again in the morning (in reverse!)…
The same principles apply at sunrise.
Try not to jump straight out of bed into a florescent-lit room! SHOCK! Try to gently wake up, naturally with warm light (like the sun).
Gradually, we can turn on the brighter lights as the day goes on (like the sun reaching its peak at midday).
Then, like the sun, we start to lower the lights gradually until we have created a natural “cave” feeling a couple hours before bedtime.
Try this for a week or so and see how you feel? Notice any changes?
