It’s hot – and I can’t sleep!
I love summer. The thought of long, lazy days makes me smile. No worries about the kid’s routines, homework, and soccer practice. Just hanging out by the pool, sipping cool drinks, and hearing the wonderful sound of kids playing outdoors. But then it hits me. The ‘dog days of summer’ are coming. It’s going to be hot – and that means I can’t sleep! I wake up to the reality that the steamy temps, copious amounts of daylight and more outdoor activities, may actually affect ours and our kids most-needed summer activities – sleep. Let’s break down summer’s impact on our bodies and what to do about it.
How light and the longer days of summer affects sleep
Our ‘body clock’ regulates our patterns of sleep and wakefulness. Our circadian rhythm regulates our body clock, which functions in the part of our brain known as the hypothalamus. Within our hypothalamus is a cluster of cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is connected to our optic nerves that sense changes in light. The SCN regulates many body functions, including body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and the release of hormones, such as melatonin which helps us with sleep.
Photo: National Sleep Foundation — http://sleepdisorders.sleepfoundation.org
When night begins to fall, the SCN senses the changes in lighting and begins to release melatonin to start the sleep process. When light begins to return in the morning, melatonin production slows and our heart rates, blood pressure, and body temperature increase, allowing us to wake up. Too much light, especially at night, can disrupt our circadian rhythms and make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. This is definitely an issue for kids if their bedtimes fall before the sun goes down. Also, even if it is dark by the time we go to sleep, all that extra daylight may make it harder to transition to sleeping at night. Biologically, it might help to stay up a little later and sleep in a little later in the morning. But the former can only happen if the latter can, too. Shortchanging sleep all summer long is a recipe for serious health problems.
Sleep Tips: Make sure your bedrooms have dark curtains or shades to keep the extra light out. If sleeping in a bright room, RV, or in a tent under the stars, then you and/or your child (depending on age) can use a sleep mask to keep the light from disturbing your sleep. If you need to muffle out your neighbors enjoying the summer outdoors, then earplugs or a white noise machine can help you sleep.
It’s getting hot in here
I find heat to be both draining and stimulating. If I’m in a hot, sweltering room, I find myself tossing and turning, and pushing covers off the bed to try to settle down to sleep. With air conditioning, I find it doesn’t have to be freezing; it just has to be significantly cooler than the temps outside for me to rest. I find I am most comfortable with the temperature in the lower 70’s.
Sleep Tip: If your air conditioning is broken or you’re staying in a place without AC, try taking a shower, which will bring down your body temperature when you get out and help you fall asleep. You can also use a fan if available.
Ahhh, summer vacays
Summer vacation can be a week-long escape from everyday life — and sleep patterns. To help sleep while I’m traveling, I try to stick within an hour of my regular sleep schedule on the weekend. A longer vacation gives time to adjust to a new schedule but I could be jet lagged when it comes time to return to home — and to reality.
Sleep Tip: To ease the transition, readjust your sleep patterns toward the end of the trip to bring sleep and wake times somewhere within two hours of your normal routine at home. Ease your kids back into their regular patterns a week or two before school starts back up.
Allergies – are not just spring and fall
Pollen is the biggest culprit of allergies during the summer, according to WebMD. Grasses and weeds (especially ragweed) are particularly difficult. According to the National Sleep Foundation, allergy symptoms affect sleep dramatically. Lack of sleep can make allergies worse as reported by Huffington Post last year, creating a vicious cycle.
Sleep Tip: To keep your bedroom allergen-free, try using an air purifier and the windows closed, especially in the morning, to keep the pollen out. Also try showering and washing your hair each night before bed, and washing your sheets at least once a week to kill off dust mites, which can worsen symptoms.
So there you have it, a few of the biggest summer sleep traps and tips to help you sleep soundly all summer long. If you feel you may have sleep issues that are keeping you up at night or causing you to be drowsy all day, please give us a call at 703-729-3420 or email us at [email protected].
