Farris Bartholomew
University Medical Center
Research and Development Department
Volume 1 June 30, 2016
Are You Getting a Good Night’s Sleep?
Are your troubles keeping you from falling asleep at night? While for some, the answer might be as simple as a glass of warm milk or a turkey sandwich, others with atypical chemistry in a tiny part of the brain located between the thalamus, the amygdala, and the pituitary gland, might have a bit of a conundrum. Research demonstrates that sleep is important and that sleep issues should not be ignored.
Light and Sleep
For most people, light acts as a stimulant, keeping them awake, whereas a dark room tells the brain to go to sleep, activating REM. However, for some, a dark room can do the very opposite by keeping them awake. For these folks, the absence of light excites their brains, kicking it into high gear, causing them anxiety and depression. How you react to light and dark all depends on a part of the brain called the hypothalamus—the area of the brain responsible for controlling, among other things, sleep. An important chemical in the brain—hypocretin—also helps regulate sleep.
Can Chemistry Help?
Depending on a person’s brain chemistry, certain people with low levels of hypocretin could be treated with a dose of bright light to help them stay alert and help fight depression. Certain people who have either extremely high levels of hypocretin, or very low levels, will be affected by light far more than those who have a more typically developing hypothalamus. Those people with low levels of hypocretin who have difficulty sleeping will find it much easier to catch their REM by shutting out all forms of light before bedtime, including television sets, computer screens, and even tablets and cell phones.
Sleep Aid Apps
There are several sleep aid apps that you can download to your cell phone to help with your sleep cycle, even when you are stressed. Some apps analyze your sleep patterns to help you determine your optimal sleep time.
Research and Development Department
Volume 1 June 30, 2016
Are You Getting a Good Night’s Sleep?
Are your troubles keeping you from falling asleep at night? While for some, the answer might be as simple as a glass of warm milk or a turkey sandwich, others with atypical chemistry in a tiny part of the brain located between the thalamus, the amygdala, and the pituitary gland, might have a bit of a conundrum. Research demonstrates that sleep is important and that sleep issues should not be ignored.
Light and Sleep
For most people, light acts as a stimulant, keeping them awake, whereas a dark room tells the brain to go to sleep, activating REM. However, for some, a dark room can do the very opposite by keeping them awake. For these folks, the absence of light excites their brains, kicking it into high gear, causing them anxiety and depression. How you react to light and dark all depends on a part of the brain called the hypothalamus—the area of the brain responsible for controlling, among other things, sleep. An important chemical in the brain—hypocretin—also helps regulate sleep.
Can Chemistry Help?
Depending on a person’s brain chemistry, certain people with low levels of hypocretin could be treated with a dose of bright light to help them stay alert and help fight depression. Certain people who have either extremely high levels of hypocretin, or very low levels, will be affected by light far more than those who have a more typically developing hypothalamus. Those people with low levels of hypocretin who have difficulty sleeping will find it much easier to catch their REM by shutting out all forms of light before bedtime, including television sets, computer screens, and even tablets and cell phones.
Sleep Aid Apps
There are several sleep aid apps that you can download to your cell phone to help with your sleep cycle, even when you are stressed. Some apps analyze your sleep patterns to help you determine your optimal sleep time.
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