Lights Out

At the end of each day, the sun melts beneath the horizon and evening steps in — bringing bedtime for most. Yet under the blanket of night, electricity illuminates the world. RANDOM EDIT Experts say everything from a car’s headlight stabbing through your window to the soft glow of a night light can alter your body’s internal clock — discouraging the full benefits of a good night’s sleep. Research shows that the earth’s 24-hour cycle of light and darkness synchronizes your natural rhythms, which govern the release of bio-chemicals to heal, restore, and rejuvenate your body as it rests. When those patterns are disrupted by artificial light, sleep deprivation can follow — impairing physical and mental health.

Lose the lights with these blackness-boosting techniques…

Power down: Remove or turn off nonessential light sources such as night lights, clock radios, computers, and chargers. If you need an alarm, face it away from your bed, or conceal the digital display. For moving about at night, keep a flashlight handy.

Cover up: Invest in dark drapes or blackout blinds to keep street lamps, moonbeams, and traffic from peering in. Wear a sleep mask over your eyes to maintain the illusion of darkness if a housemate flips on a light, or the natural gleam from a skylight floods your room.