A week of camping resets body clocks

[Bogo]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 125601.htm

Spending just one week exposed only to natural light while camping in the Rocky Mountains was enough to sync the circadian clocks of eight people participating in a University of Colorado Boulder study with the timing of sunrise and sunset.

They didn't allow flashlights, or other light sources like cell phones and computers. So, it was only natural light that they were exposed to during the week.

I guess this means we should be going camping more often.

In other related research, blue light seams to be rather important to our body clocks. BTW: There is another type of photo receptor in our bodies that is sensitive to blue light. This sensor is in addition to the rods and cones in the eye. We share this sensor with some of the simplest sea creatures that evolved early in the history of life on earth.

Here's one report of many on a study on blue light's effects. They used it to help reset body clocks in teens and elderly people.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0201-waking_up_teens.htm

Teenagers' morning drowsiness is often caused by out-of-tune body clocks, in a condition known as "delayed sleep phase syndrome." Scientists now say that timing exposure to blue light -- avoiding it during the first two hours of being wake, then getting a good dose of it -- can help restore the sleep cycle, so teens feel sleepy earlier at night and are more awake in the morning.

Makes me think that having lighting in classrooms that is intense, and blueish in the morning would help the students. It would have to be at least half the intensity of natural sunlight.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 124420.htm

"This latest study supplements previous work and supports the general hypothesis that the entire 24-hour pattern of light/dark exposure influences synchronization of the body's circadian clock with the solar day and thus influences teenagers' sleep/wake cycles," explains Figueiro. "As a general rule, teenagers should increase morning daylight exposure year round and decrease evening daylight exposure in the spring to help ensure they will get sufficient sleep before going to school."

Where do we keep the teens in the morning? For that matter, where do we keep ourselves? Do you get enough bright light in the morning?

[doris s.]

When I camp I always find that I go to bed earlier and get up earlier. Getting up with the sun and going to bed with the moon feels so natural and wonderful. I have wondered if it is the temperature changes thru the day that also "sets ones clock".

Doris

[GuitarPhotog]

I camped in my teardrop for 3 weeks in June this year and didn't experience any real difference in rising and setting times. I seem to set about midnight and rise about eight, regardless of season or solar cycle. My teardrop has no windows so it's "profoundly dark" with no clue to time of day, and I still wake about the same time as at home where my bedroom window faces south east and gets the full morning sun most of the year.

<Chas>

[Modstock]

Ever once in awhle I go camping all alone. Just me . I find the quietness helps relieve stress and I usually get up early enough I can watch the sun come up.
I come back totally refreshed . even if its just one night .

Maybe its because the bed in the teardrop is better than what I sleep on at home . Hmmm

[GPW]

QUOTE: .... "I guess this means we should be going camping more often” .... A most Logical (and Fun ) conclusion ... ...

[jstrubberg]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130801125601.htm

Spending just one week exposed only to natural light while camping in the Rocky Mountains was enough to sync the circadian clocks of eight people participating in a University of Colorado Boulder study with the timing of sunrise and sunset.

They didn't allow flashlights, or other light sources like cell phones and computers. So, it was only natural light that they were exposed to during the week.

I guess this means we should be going camping more often.

In other related research, blue light seams to be rather important to our body clocks. BTW: There is another type of photo receptor in our bodies that is sensitive to blue light. This sensor is in addition to the rods and cones in the eye. We share this sensor with some of the simplest sea creatures that evolved early in the history of life on earth.

Here's one report of many on a study on blue light's effects. They used it to help reset body clocks in teens and elderly people.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0201-waking_up_teens.htm

Teenagers' morning drowsiness is often caused by out-of-tune body clocks, in a condition known as "delayed sleep phase syndrome." Scientists now say that timing exposure to blue light -- avoiding it during the first two hours of being wake, then getting a good dose of it -- can help restore the sleep cycle, so teens feel sleepy earlier at night and are more awake in the morning.

Makes me think that having lighting in classrooms that is intense, and blueish in the morning would help the students. It would have to be at least half the intensity of natural sunlight.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 124420.htm

"This latest study supplements previous work and supports the general hypothesis that the entire 24-hour pattern of light/dark exposure influences synchronization of the body's circadian clock with the solar day and thus influences teenagers' sleep/wake cycles," explains Figueiro. "As a general rule, teenagers should increase morning daylight exposure year round and decrease evening daylight exposure in the spring to help ensure they will get sufficient sleep before going to school."

Where do we keep the teens in the morning? For that matter, where do we keep ourselves? Do you get enough bright light in the morning?

Are you familiar with the parable of the scientist and the frog? Just because the frog can't jump when you yell at it doesn't mean the frog is deaf.

Of course a week without artificial light will improve your circadian rhythms! What are you going to do after dark without an artificial light source? Sheesh.

Teens aren't drowsy in the morning because of lack of blue light, they are drowsy in the morning because teens need more sleep due to all the changes their bodies are going through. Around here we call 'em a coma with legs and an appetite. They are drowsy half the day.

[Bogo]

Of course a week without artificial light will improve your circadian rhythms! What are you going to do after dark without an artificial light source? Sheesh.

They used camp fires. Campfires do give off some blue light, but it is a small portion of their spectrum.

Teens aren't drowsy in the morning because of lack of blue light, they are drowsy in the morning because teens need more sleep due to all the changes their bodies are going through. Around here we call 'em a coma with legs and an appetite. They are drowsy half the day.

While teens often need more sleep, a number of them are having a hard time of adjusting from summer sleep schedules where they can sleep in to school year ones where they have to get up early. They are going from a summer adjusted schedule likely with lots of sunlight during the day to one where they are cooped up in a relatively dim classroom most of the day, then finally get some intense sunlight after school. The light sensor in our bodies that helps regulate the body clocks is looking for intense blue light wavelengths, which BTW is part of the normal sunlight spectrum.