[NewBill (OP)]

I like to sleep in the dark while my wife prefers some light in the
room. Is wearing a sleep mask over my eyes enough to convince my body
that the room is dark?

Just started listening to the Podcasts and enjoy the show very much.

Bill
Victoria, BC Canada

[neilep]

Hi Bill,

The only way to find out for sure is to try it !!..Most people I know swear by wearing a sleep mask, else they wouldn't be wearing them !! and I'm sure that it would convince your body, after all light enters through the eyes eh ?

Give it a try...I'd be very interested to hear how you get on.......else, you you could combine a sleep mask with some light filaments/LEDs and give it to wifey to wear while you darken the room ! []

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ukmicky]

Cornell University Medical College did an experiment in which they shined light on the back of 15  people's knees. And they found that the body was still able to sense the light. There was something on the internet regarding the experiment. I will look for it  

[neilep]

...well there you go...better get yourself some ' back of knee ' sleep masks too !!

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[ukmicky]

AN ARTICLE FOR THE ABOVE
http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc98/7_11_98/bob1.htm

[NewBill (OP)]

A sleep mask and a dense blanket then.

[ukmicky]

I wonder if our biological clock can sense bird song

[chris]

quote:Originally posted by ukmicky

Cornell University Medical College did an experiment in which they shined light on the back of 15  people's knees. And they found that the body was still able to sense the light. There was something on the internet regarding the experiment. I will look for it  

You're quite right, British Airways did trial this idea for a while as a possible measure to alleviate the effects of jetlag.

However, exhaustive and expensive trials eventually confirmed what we all suspected, which is that it doesn't work !

Chris



"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[neilep]

Bill, you also mentioned melatonin in your thread title.

In my experience it did not work, though I did ' feel ' the effect for a short while....what is you question about it ? is it a body clock thing ? like phased delay syndrome ?...or something like that ?

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[NewBill (OP)]

quote:Originally posted by neilep

Bill, you also mentioned melatonin in your thread title.

In my experience it did not work, though I did ' feel ' the effect for a short while....what is you question about it ? is it a body clock thing ? like phased delay syndrome ?...or something like that ?

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

While I listened to the podcast on sleep and circadian rhythm etc. I was also interested in the related topics such as the role of the Penial gland, the effect of light on melatonin levels and summer and winter patterns of sleep at my latitude 48.5 North.

I have long been aware of the changing patterns in my own sleep habits both in hours and the amount of rest I require with the seasons.

Of late I seem to be hyper alert many nights and once wakened will stay awake for several hours.  Even so I awake at first light and cannot content myself with staying in bed even when I feel weary and do not need to get up.

Noticing that I am affected in the other way during the grey, low light months of winter, having the symptoms of SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder long before it had earned an acronym, I have come to accept that light levels, energy levels, state of mind with respect to depression are associated with the season.  I am then, intellectually drawn to the role of the Penial Gland and the Melatonin levels in the blood as mechanisms.

Bottom line: I seek only to control the light conditions.  I have noticed that I keep the places where I work and recreate brighter than my colleagues or family.  Where I sleep I wish it to be darker.  I also seek to control the consistency of the lighting that is bright during the day and uninterrupted dark at night.  Not wishing to impose this tyranny on those around me I wonder if there was credible ways of fooling the body.  I guess I just assumed that Melatonin was part of that picture.  The association of light in the eyes or on other parts of the body and Melatonin blood levels in susceptible individuals seems a doable experiment.

[Razor]

To get better sleep i'd suggest a right nogging on the head with a wooden Mallet, reducing the probability of catching an infection.

-----------------------
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In which we stated that Mr. Arnold Dogbody was a defective in the police force. We meant, of course, that Mr. Dogbody is a detective in the police farce."
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