The key to making peace with Morpheus and starting the day off on the right foot would rather be found in our morning routine. Getty Images:
In a recent popular science podcast, Stanford University neuroscientist and professor Andrew Huberman reveals his method for breaking out of the morning fog and improving sleep after dark.
Better sleep is definitely at the top of your 2023 resolutions. To remedy this, you meditate every night, don’t touch your phone once in your bedroom, and even sleep with a weighted blanket. Despite these efforts, you feel like you haven’t had your quota of restorative sleep and struggle to get out of bed each morning. To sleep better and get in better shape in the morning, you may need to address your morning routine. According to Andrew Huberman, an American neurologist and professor of neurobiology at Stanford University, you should be exposed to the first rays of the sun as soon as you wake up. He describes his method in more detail in an episode of the Sleep Toolkit, which aired on his August 2022 podcast. Huberman Lab.
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The “elevating” effect of cortisol
According to the neuroscientist, the best way to get a “boost” effect when you get out of bed and then feel good is to get out of the house and look at natural light for at least an hour after waking up. five to ten minutes. The goal? Activate a set of nerve cells sensitive to bright light located in the retina, which will lead to an increase in cortisol levels in the body. Also known as the stress hormone, it’s really good for waking up the body and mind, Andrew Huberman teaches us on his podcast. “We need an increase in cortisol as early in the day as possible, because this hormone helps to improve the immune system, alertness level, mood and helps us move,” concludes the neuroscientist.
In addition to improving alertness and kick-starting the day with energy, exposure to natural light in the morning “starts a timer to promote melatonin production (sleep hormone, editor’s note), continues Andrew Huberman. According to the latter, it takes about 16 hours after the peak of cortisol for the body to start releasing melatonin and therefore help us sleep.
Pay attention to those who are afraid of being dazzled by the morning light. the specialist still does not recommend not to wear sunglasses during this walk. “You should not look directly at the sun. If it’s too painful, it’s better to generally look in the direction of it, he says. And you can blink without a problem.”
And if ever the light does not show its nose at 7 o’clock, as it happens in winter, Andrew Huberman invites you to turn to special artificial lights, such as a dawn simulator alarm clock or a light therapy lamp, which is more. effective. And if the bad weather slows down the desire to go outside as soon as you wake up, the specialist encourages you to overcome the obstacle. “Even in cloudy weather, you can get maximum light energy in the eyes, you just need to extend the duration of your exposure a little,” he notes.
In the video: night waking, four tips to get back to sleep
Source: Le Figaro
