A recent study published in Current Biology from researchers at the University of Colorado-Boulder claims that spending time outside (away from artificial light sources) can help reset biological clocks and restore our circadian rhythm. The team found that spending a weekend out camping rests our body’s internal clock that influences our sleeping habits, helping people who struggle to get up and boosting overall health.
Unfortunately, they found it wasn’t a long-term solution for those looking to reset their body clock—as soon as they went back to their normal patterns, the benefits faded. But the results of the study are still valid—exposing yourself to more bright light during the day is helpful and can restore your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm affects your level of alertness, your mood, your physical strength, when you need to sleep, and even your risk of heart attack.
The Study
Dr. Kenneth Wright, the lead researcher from the University of Colorado, organized a series of camping trips for volunteers. The participants wore special watches to record light levels and underwent blood tests to analyze their levels of melatonin (a sleep hormone). The study only allowed a campfire for artificial light, with no flashlights or other light sources besides the sun. This maximized natural light during the day while minimizing it during nighttime.
The researchers discovered that the participants were exposed to 13 times more light than at home, despite it being the darkest time of year. Furthermore, their melatonin levels starting rising two-and-a-half hours earlier than before the camping trip—leading to earlier bedtimes and earlier rising times. Just a few days out in the wilderness without artificial light helped restore their bodies to correct circadian rhythms.
What Can We Do to Reset Our Circadian Rhythms?
For most people, camping every weekend isn’t the answer to a body clock reset. It’s not practical or likely. If homes, offices, and schools were designed to let in more natural light, this could help immensely. Furthermore, getting more exposure to light during the day, such as by going on a long walk, could also help.
On the other hand, sleep experts avoid limiting artificial light at night. Researchers suggest that you record TV shows and watch them during the day. Too much light at night can interfere with your melatonin levels and disrupt your circadian rhythm.
The researchers involved in the winter camping study also noted that seasons affected your body’s clock—winter camping throws melatonin production off by an extra .6 hours compared to summer camping. Our bodies react differently to longer or shorter days. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects a large amount of the population as well in winter—and may be part of the body’s attempt to regulate and restore circadian rhythms.
Sunlight is important in our lives all year long—think about making lifestyle changes to help reset your body’s internal clock.
