Sleep experts recommend exposure to an hour of morning sunlight for people who have difficulty falling asleep.
That’s because sunlight helps the body’s internal biological clock reset itself each day.
People with delayed sleep phase syndrome, for example, report trouble falling asleep until 3 AM and trouble getting up before 10 or 11 AM.
This disorder affects 7% of all persons seeking treatment for insomnia at sleep disorders centers. It is most common in adolescents. Light therapy in the early morning may help such people fall asleep earlier.
How does it work? When the retina in the eye is exposed to light, nerve impulses are transmitted to the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain. This structure then signals the brain’s pineal gland to release a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is thought to play a role in in regulating sleep/wake cycles.