Why Sleeping in a Dark Room is More Desirable for Your Mental Health

Updated on April 10, 2020
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Up to this day, a lot of people are still battling and trying to win the fight against their mental health issues and disorders. Some win on the daily, while some just wither and give in to it. The sad truth about it is that these happen continuously day by day and we cannot do much about it. 

As taking medications and going to counseling sessions remain the most effective ways to overcome mental health issues, there are a couple of tweaks that you can do to take care of your mental health. A good example that can be done would be to make it a habit to sleep in a dark room. 

Sleep is essential to hormone regulation and other bodily functions. When the hormones and other chemicals found in the body are functioning well, it is more unlikely for a person to undergo episodes of their underlying condition.

Here is an explanation on how well you can sleep in a dark room and still be all right. In fact, this has been studied and proven to be true – light during sleep may cause issues on your overall mental health. So let us proceed and get to know more about it. 

Light and the Body

A good day starter for many is exposing themselves to sunlight. This is a great way to awaken the body and to keep the mind ready for various tasks. Some people are used to it while some are not. There are those who cannot fall asleep when there is light and vice versa. 

A study performed on rodents suggests that those who sleep with the lights on had more symptoms of depression. It carried to tell the difference and changes that happens throughout the subject the entire time. During the entire four weeks of light exposure, the rodents exhibited continuous signs of depression. 

In fact, the brain images were also different two weeks from when the research started. Exposure to artificial light messed up the brain, but when given the room was set to dark the entire time; everything was restored to its normal state as if the mental health problem never happened. So the take away for this study would be that artificial light adds up to depression. 

This would mean that watching television, staying on the phone, or playing the computer until the wee hours at night can be a bad idea. The artificial light you get from those devices can mess up your light to dark cycle and leave you restless and sleepless at night. 

You must be wondering why this happens, so let me tell you now. The reason behind this would be because of adenosine. This molecule’s production is triggered in the dark and lessened with light. Adenosine contributes to the feeling of being sleepy. 

The darker the environment, the more adenosine your body creates, the more chances you get to feel sleepy. The brighter the surrounding, whether by natural or artificial light, the lesser adenosine is produced which leads to a longer state of wakefulness. According to TheSleepAdvser.com, if you want to get restful and high quality sleep at night, limit your light exposure two hours before your sleeping time. 

A Dark Room Can Help You Sleep Better

Now that you understand the effects of light exposure to your body, you can now alter it to get a better quality of sleep. Limiting your light exposure, whether it is natural or artificial only during hours of your wake cycle is good, consequently, keeping your sleep cycle free of light exposure will definitely let you fall asleep sooner. 

When your body responds by producing adenosine and melatonin during your pre-sleep period because of the lack of light exposure, brace yourself for some quality rest. Set a specific timeframe for your sleep and wake cycle, then incorporate the limitations as necessary. The next thing you know, your overall health and productivity is peaking because of the amount of rest you get from sleeping. 

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Sleeping Better Is Beneficial to Your Mental Health

Interrupted sleep often leads to the imbalance of hormones and neurotransmitters in the body. When this happens, the brain goes through chaotic processes leading to an impaired judgment and thinking. Most of the time, it leads to insomnia and makes it worse for those who already have psychiatric disorders. 

Apart from this, this is where different types of sleeping disorders are developed. When a person develops those, it may be hard to treat it in a short period of time. Unfortunately, a person who suffers from sleeping disorders may lead a poorer quality of life. 

On the other hand, if you take care of your body and get enough sleep, the hormones and neurotransmitters are produced as to how they are expected to. These come in their recommended levels, which means, there is harmony and order in the body. This leads to sound thinking and judgment. It also takes away the possible worsening of the symptoms that come with different mental health issues. 

Conclusion

Sleep impacts majority of all our life’s aspects. This affects how we think, how we function and how we relate to people. This also makes or breaks the person’s ability to make sound judgments and decisions. A person who is deprived of sleep is sure to make the poorest and worst decisions when asked to. 

In relation to that, one question comes into mind: is it good to sleep in a dark room? The answer is definitely yes. Sleeping in a dark room facilitates a better “sleep and wake cycle”, it stimulates the proper hormone production, and keeps your body attuned. If you have been having a really messy sleeping routine for the longest time, now is the best time to try to make things right. 

Start by setting up your room and getting used to sleeping in the dark. This may seem weird at first, but as you go along the way, this becomes a routine and a habit that you cannot go on without. From there, try to notice the benefits it gives you. 

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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.