How I Use Light To Hack My Energy
For most of my life, I battled with lethargy during the fall and winter. Even if I slept a decent amount at night, my energy levels were depleted by the afternoon. Last year I took a blood test, and I found out I had a vitamin D deficiency. The body produces Vitamin D as a response to sun exposure. Low levels of vitamin D is often linked to fatigue and muscle weakness. After learning this, I began researching the relationship between light and energy.
Light, specifically the sun, regulates your sleep-wake cycle. The sun signals your body to rest as it sets and to wake as it rises. How? Well, your body produces the sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin when it’s dark. The darker it is, the more melatonin we produce and the more tired we get. On the other hand, the more light we get, the more energy we have. Although this is generally true, some people naturally produce more melatonin than others and don’t need to rely on light as much. I, however, am the opposite. I need light to fuel more day.
I come from a town in Italy where winters were often gray and foggy, so I never knew the importance of light. Now that I understand how light influences my body, I try to use light to my advantage. With the days getting shorter, I’ve found alternative ways to get my energizing dose of light. Here are some of the things I do to use light to hack my energy:
Wake up with sunrise lights
I use smart lights throughout the day to boost my energy, mood, and performance. And it all starts in the morning. Instead of waking up abruptly to the loud buzzing of an alarm, I wake up with dawn simulating Philips Hue lights. I connect these smart bulbs to my Eight smart mattress, so when my alarm goes off, the lights go on. By mimicking the growing brightness of the rising sun, these lights tune into the natural wiring of my body. It makes waking up easier because it helps bring my body into light sleep stage. Waking up with light also helps regulate melatonin levels and reduces the likelihood of a midday slump. It’s particularly helpful in the winter when the sun doesn’t rise early.
Utilize blue light during the day
Immediately after I wake up, I turn on all the lights in the house and set a blue color (you need to have smart lights like Philips Hue to do it). Blue light is visible light ranging from 380 to 500 nm, and sunlight is the major source of it. Being exposed to blue light will boost alertness, improve mood, and help memory and cognitive function. In the daytime, it’s important to get exposed to as much bright, natural-looking light as possible. A 2014 study found that office workers with windows were healthier and happier. They reported feeling more well-rested and more motivated to exercise. Light affects brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, which is why light therapy is used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Light elevates mood by activating the brain’s circadian pacemaker, a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The nucleus helps to regulate melatonin and cortisol, which controls stress. I can attest to the fact that bright light therapy works. My vitamin D deficiency makes me prone to SAD, so I use a special light to combat the negative effects of seasonal darkness. I typically use the light for 10 minutes in the morning while I check my email.
Scientists are increasingly recognizing the effect of lighting on the human psyche. According to experts, different color temperature lighting correspond to different levels of productivity. It turns out, cooler light makes workers more productive. Cool white light contains more blue light and looks brighter to the eye. Blue light supposedly makes you feel more energized. So what is blue light? Blue light rays have the shortest wavelengths and highest energy on the visible light spectrum. Its shorter wavelengths suppress melatonin and tell our brains to be active. During the day, I use Philips Hue for Energy to produce that blue light.
Turn on orange lights in the evening
In the evening, when I get home, my lights automatically turn on orange to create a relaxing environment. Orange light doesn’t have the same frequencies as blue light, so it doesn’t give the same daytime cue as blue light. Orangish, reddish light also aids in melatonin production, which will make you sleepier. You can also set up your devices to night mode so that the screen light changes to an orange tone.
Wear blue-light blocking glasses
People are recommended not to use their phones or TV within an hour of going to bed because the blue light emitted from these screens can stimulate the brain and interfere with sleep. Some studies have found that those who read with a tablet at night experience poor quality sleep and wake up feeling less alert than those who read from a paper book. Since I tend to work late into the evening, I use blue-light blocking glasses a few hours before bedtime to reduce the negative effects of blue light. A study found that those who wore blue-light blocking glasses for three hours before bed improved their sleep quality considerably compared to the control group. I wear my orange-tinted glasses while I work in addition to night mode on my phone.
Go dark
When I’m ready to go to sleep, I embrace total darkness. If you want to invest in one hack that will seriously change the way you sleep, invest in blackout curtains. The darker the room while you sleep, the better you’ll sleep. I did not have them originally, but after I installed them, I immediately noticed an improvement in my sleep.
Something as simple as light can significantly impact your life. If you follow the natural cycle of light, you’ll optimize the way you fall asleep and wake up the next morning. When I first started using light throughout my day, the results were profound. I slept deeper in the night and felt more energized during the day.
Summary
- Connect your lights to your smart bed to simulate sunrise when you are ready to wake up.
- Switch lights to blue as soon as you get out of bed.
- Be exposed to as much light as possible during the day. Natural light is the best option, otherwise use blue light.
- Be exposed to orange lights in the evening and wear glasses with orange lenses if you use the computer, tablet or phone before going to bed.
- Make your bedroom completely dark in the night.
