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Sleep in a cave

interesting article in the Guardian today:

How to beat that exhausted feeling

Not surprisingly, the simple act of getting a good night's sleep is central to Lipman's approach. He prescribes a daily "electronic sundown" - all computers, mobile phones and TVs should be turned off by 10pm to allow for the "transition into sleep". Keep your bedroom cool and totally dark - "like a cave," he says - with LED alarm clocks covered up or even disposed of, blackout blinds installed or eye-masks donned. This should, he says, help keep night-time melatonin production going. He also advises not turning the bathroom light on if you go to the toilet in the middle of the night, otherwise your body will be fooled into thinking it's morning again and turn off the melatonin tap.


This is the same idea I've pointed to before especially in Lights Out (and here)
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Comments

Methuselah said…
Have any of the articles you have encountered mentioned the use of eye masks? My other half is like a hibernating bear so if I use black outs she goes practically comatose. I tried an eye mask last night and it seemed like it might have helped...I will experiment for longer and see how it goes.
May 6, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Chris said…
The Lights Out book - definitely worth a read - says that you need full darkness, not just an eyemask. Light hitting any part of your body is enough to indicate that it is not true night.

The book is fascinating. Very paleo in diet and approach. Too much light makes us think we are always in summer and hormonally sets us up very differently from where we shold be.
May 6, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Methuselah said…
Thanks Chris - will add to growing list of books to read!

Looks like Mrs M is going to have to get used to my blackout strategy...
May 7, 2009 at 2:17 AM
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