Darkness is the cure for a good night sleep

If you can't sleep at night, you may find the back light from your clock, laptop, cell phone or tv,  are playing havoc with your sleep-wake cycle.

Our bodies are governed by a sleep-wake cycle that starts with our eyes. When our eyes register darkness, they send a signal to the brain to start producing melatonin, the hormone that makes us feel sleepy. But when light shines in our eyes, it tricks our brain into thinking it’s still daytime. Over time, this can seriously mess up our sleep-wake cycle.

So what can we do? Here are some suggestions:

• Dim the lights gradually starting a couple of hours before bedtime.
• Put away laptops, iPads, cell phones and turn off the TV at least an hour before you go to sleep.
• Don’t have a TV in your bedroom, and banish laptops from bed.
• Read in bed, instead. Books are great, of course, but if you prefer tech, choose a basic Kindle, which doesn’t have a backlit screen.
• Use the smallest clip-on reading light you can get away with and direct the light onto the pages — or the device — and away from your eyes.
• Check your bedroom for extraneous sources of light, no matter how miniscule.
• Are there streetlights outside your windows? Use blackout curtains or shades and make sure they fit the windows tightly so no light seeps in around the edge.
• Charge laptops, phones, cameras, and other devices in another room.
• Banish night lights, even from the bathroom.
• Use an alarm clock without a lighted dial, or turn it to face the wall.Need to get up during the night? Keep a flashlight next to your bed and use it to go to the bathroom or let the dog out. (Point it away from yourself so you don’t look into the beam.)

Be strict with yourself for a few weeks and see if your sleep improves. If you find yourself feeling more rested and relaxed, you know you've found your solution to a good night sleep.