Posts
The holidays have just begun and already you feel your resolve slipping, because every old Christmas carol or holiday special seems laced with the scent and taste of all those old-fashioned Christmas treats. Believe me, I'm right there with you, because baby it's cold outside, and what could be better than cocoa and cookies on a cold winter day, right? Well, how about a dawn simulator alarm clock?
Okay, I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. Recent scientific studies have revealed that one cause of winter weight gain is sleep deprivation. Your body tries to make up the sleep deficit by taking in extra calories -- particularly those of the sticky, sweet kind, because the sugar and starches don't just taste good, they make you feel good and give you an energy boost.
For example, people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) often experience sleep disturbances connected to light deprivation--you have trouble falling asleep or you wake up frequently once you have--so even if you're getting the same quantity of sleep (8 hours or more), you often aren't getting the same quality of sleep, which leads to depression. Unfortunately, many people who are depressed try to self-medicate with things that make them feel better, often things that aren't good for them, including favorite foods. Of course the weight gain from over-eating adds to the depression, and the over-eating behavior can rapidly turn into a self-perpetuating cycle.
Whether you have SAD or not, you may still be suffering the symptoms of winter blues. It's dark outside much longer than it is light, and what light there is outside is often "thin" ~ not strong enough to really make a difference. Kind of like drinking skim milk when what your body needs is 2% or whole. Light therapy devices like the dawn simulator alarm clock can act as a "supplement" to that thin winter light.
As human beings, we are designed to follow an organic "program" that tells the body to begin secreting melatonin when it begins to get dark. Melatonin is the hormone that helps one to fall asleep and stay asleep through the dark hours. Unfortunately, the longer stretches of darkness in winter can confuse that "program" and trigger the release of melatonin at the wrong time, contributing to sleepiness in the afternoon or early evening rather than closer to bedtime.
Conversely, as the sun rises in the morning, the brain signals the release of serotonin, also known as the "happiness hormone" because it contributes to a sense of serenity and wellbeing. Unfortunately, if the sun isn't shining in your window when it's time to wake up, the brain doesn't know to signal the secretion of serotonin until well after you've been awakened. Perhaps this is why many people don't really feel awake until some hours after they've gotten out of bed.
When you go into your morning still half asleep, breakfast is the last thing on your mind--you're more interested in a caffeine wake-me-up like coffee, tea, or soda. Then when that wears off and you're finally good and awake, you're also good and hungry, often with nothing but starchy snacks or sweets to tide you over until lunch.
A dawn simulator alarm clock can help return your body's production of melatonin and serotonin to its natural rhythm, helping you avoid sleep deprivation and it's negative affects, like depression and winter weight gain, during those darker days of winter. Perhaps, with the help of this light therapy, you'll be able to face the coming of winter and the holiday season with serenity and even that sense of expectancy you had when you were little.
Wouldn't that be nice? And all because of a little more light at just the right time. Who knew?
Okay, I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. Recent scientific studies have revealed that one cause of winter weight gain is sleep deprivation. Your body tries to make up the sleep deficit by taking in extra calories -- particularly those of the sticky, sweet kind, because the sugar and starches don't just taste good, they make you feel good and give you an energy boost.
For example, people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) often experience sleep disturbances connected to light deprivation--you have trouble falling asleep or you wake up frequently once you have--so even if you're getting the same quantity of sleep (8 hours or more), you often aren't getting the same quality of sleep, which leads to depression. Unfortunately, many people who are depressed try to self-medicate with things that make them feel better, often things that aren't good for them, including favorite foods. Of course the weight gain from over-eating adds to the depression, and the over-eating behavior can rapidly turn into a self-perpetuating cycle.
Whether you have SAD or not, you may still be suffering the symptoms of winter blues. It's dark outside much longer than it is light, and what light there is outside is often "thin" ~ not strong enough to really make a difference. Kind of like drinking skim milk when what your body needs is 2% or whole. Light therapy devices like the dawn simulator alarm clock can act as a "supplement" to that thin winter light.
As human beings, we are designed to follow an organic "program" that tells the body to begin secreting melatonin when it begins to get dark. Melatonin is the hormone that helps one to fall asleep and stay asleep through the dark hours. Unfortunately, the longer stretches of darkness in winter can confuse that "program" and trigger the release of melatonin at the wrong time, contributing to sleepiness in the afternoon or early evening rather than closer to bedtime.
Conversely, as the sun rises in the morning, the brain signals the release of serotonin, also known as the "happiness hormone" because it contributes to a sense of serenity and wellbeing. Unfortunately, if the sun isn't shining in your window when it's time to wake up, the brain doesn't know to signal the secretion of serotonin until well after you've been awakened. Perhaps this is why many people don't really feel awake until some hours after they've gotten out of bed.
When you go into your morning still half asleep, breakfast is the last thing on your mind--you're more interested in a caffeine wake-me-up like coffee, tea, or soda. Then when that wears off and you're finally good and awake, you're also good and hungry, often with nothing but starchy snacks or sweets to tide you over until lunch.
A dawn simulator alarm clock can help return your body's production of melatonin and serotonin to its natural rhythm, helping you avoid sleep deprivation and it's negative affects, like depression and winter weight gain, during those darker days of winter. Perhaps, with the help of this light therapy, you'll be able to face the coming of winter and the holiday season with serenity and even that sense of expectancy you had when you were little.
Wouldn't that be nice? And all because of a little more light at just the right time. Who knew?
About the Author:
Before you buy anything online, check out Rebecca Reynolds excellent web review of dawn simulator alarm clocks and what benefits a dawn simulator alarm clock can offer you.
No comments:
Post a Comment