The effect of going camping and spending time away from computers and all kind of such devices may be fantastic. Moreover, your sleep patterns may improve, boosting your health. It is too bad that we forget how nature influences our life, our mental and physical health in a positive way. Spending time in the middle of nature can decrease stress hormones and the level of blood pressure.
- A new study about sleep patterns was published in the journal Current Biology.
- Kenneth Wright, the author of the study, wanted to find out how going camping can influence your sleep pattern.
- He developed a survey, asking participants to go camping and analyzing their sleep cycles.
Some studies have suggested that going camping may reset our internal clock, developing a natural sleep cycle. A new survey concerning sleep patterns was recently published in the Current Biology magazine. The research indicates the benefits of sleeping outdoors, in nature, breathing fresh air.
Kenneth Wright, the author of the study and a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, started his research back in 2013. He asked a group of people to go on a summer camping trip to find out how their internal clocks will adjust without the use of an alarm. The natural light of the summer sun was their only clock.
Before and after they went camping, Wright measured their levels of melatonin. This hormone is bound to alert the body when it should prepare to go to bed, adjusting an individual’s internal clock. Before the trip, participants revealed that their internal clocks were delayed by two hours. This may have indicated that there may appear some health problems due to the irregular sleep pattern.
The participants were exposed to experiencing mood issues, sleepiness and an increased risk of becoming overweight. Nevertheless, after spending a week in the middle of nature, they were able to readjust. Wright’s purpose was to reveal how long it could take someone to recalibrate their sleep cycle. He was also wondering whether this also works during the winter season.
Firstly, the scientist offered participants some wearable devices which indicated him when they went to bed, and they woke up, also unveiling how much light they were exposed to. They were sent on a winter trip. Wright discovered that participants’ internal clock were delayed by two hours and 36 minutes when they left for the journey. After the study was complete, the researcher found out that participants had higher melatonin levels. He also explained that during the cold season some might experience winter depression.
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