2019-06-01_New_Scientist (1)

timing of the SCN, making you more owlish.

“One problem with light at night is that it

makes you want to go to bed later, but you still

have to get up at the same time, so you get

shorter sleep,” says Mariana Figueiro, director

of the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer

Polytechnic Institute in New York state. Bright

light exposure in the morning advances our

body clocks, making us more lark-like.

It is also important that we are plunged

into darkness at night. Besides shifting

the timing of our body clocks and providing

an unwanted boost to alertness, light at night

also  suppresses the release of melatonin,

a hormone that reinforces the biological >

DAYTIME

Lighting should be bright and

blue-white. Daylight is better

Wake up at a regular time and

open the curtains as soon as

you get up

Eat breakfast in the brightest,

sunniest area of your home –

or outdoors

Walk or cycle when you can

Change where you usually sit

to be next to a window, or

consider investing in a very

bright desk light

Get outdoors as much as you

can, but beware skin damage

Swap indoor exercise for an

outdoor equivalent

EVENING

Lighting should be dim and

emit a warmer colour

Use table lamps, rather than

bright overhead lights

Install warm-toned light

bulbs or invest in dimmable,

colour-changing bulbs

Listen to your body and go to bed

when you start feeling sleepy

Use blackout blinds to block the

light from street lamps

OPTIMISE YOUR

EXPOSURE

“ Light not only

affects your

body clock and

your sleep, it

can act directly

on mood”

1 June 2019 | New Scientist | 35