In the study, Colorado researchers analyzed the sleep and light exposure of a small group of people over the course of a usual week. Then, they took the group on a 7-day camping trip. (Um, where can we sign up for these studies?) To their surprise, they found that the group naturally began to sleep and wake up one hour earlier than they did under regular circumstances. How come? People get four times less sunlight in their daily lives due to modern technology than they would if they were to be outside in the natural world—that’s 400% more natural light when we’re out camping, explains study author Kenneth Wright, PhD, associate professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado. Light, whether natural or artificial, acts as a time cue for your body’s internal clock, which tells the body to function during the day and rest and refresh at night. Our exposure to massive amounts of electrical lighting throughout the day and especially at night throws this rhythm off, Dr. Wright says. A week in a natural environment, on the other hand, allows the body’s internal clock to realign with the rise and fall of the sun. This helps you get to sleep and wake up earlier. Even if you don’t necessarily have the time to disappear into the wilderness for an extended period, simply reducing your time under electrical lighting and increasing your time outdoors on the daily can mean a world of difference for your body’s internal clock—and subsequently, your sleep schedule.“Start your day with a morning walk. Have your coffee and read your paper outside if it’s nice. If it’s not nice outside, then go ahead and raise the shades in the house,” Dr. Wright says. “Make sure you get as much light as you can.” More from Prevention: How To Get Your Best Night’s Sleep—Ever
