Trouble Sleeping While on Vacation ?

Posted in Factors affecting sleep, Light by admin
Apr 28 2010
TrackBack Address.

It has been a while since I last posted an article as I have been on a business/holiday/family gathering for my nephew’s wedding in sunny Mexico – Los Cabos to be exact – I know life is tough!

The weather and resort were fabulous and our room though very simple in design and furnishings exactly emanated the feel of the country and our surroundings. As I have mentioned previously , it does not cost a fortune to decorate your bedroom to fit your lifestyle or exhibit the mood which you want to create. Just check out the photo below.

Our room at the Resort

Simple beige and orange migrating to darker adobe brick colors, all complementing the colors found in the pillow shams and wall mural. Simple yet vibrant and relaxing!

Bedding and linens are the easiest way to go when it comes time for a small change. A comforter set can also be the catalyst to getting you to change the entire look of your bedroom.

Lighting in a bedroom plays an important part in creating the environment you desire. Creative lighting is the most flexible and effective way to change the mood or ambience of a room. Bedrooms are our refuge from the world, a safe place to get away from the day’s hassles, a sanctuary for rest and romance. Bedroom lighting can go a long way toward creating this feeling of safe haven.

Often one encounters difficulty in going to sleep while on vacation. We normally write this off as strange surroundings, a different bed and pillows, different lighting or just an adrenaline rush caused by finally being on holidays. Even though these could contribute to your difficulty in going to sleep – they may not be the main culprit.

Our body’s sleep/wake patterns are controlled by a natural hormone known as melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland , a small gland in the brain. Artificial lighting is the main culprit in disrupting sleep patterns. Darkness stimulates the production of melatonin while light suppresses its activity. Exposure to excessive light in the evening or too little light during the day can disrupt the body’s normal melatonin cycles. So an entire day spent in airports and aboard an airplane can cause a disruption in the amount of light one receives during the day – that combined with crossing a couple of time zones will most likely make you toss and turn for a while your first night .

Melatonin is under investigation as a treatment for a number of conditions, including jet-lag, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression, and cancer. Melatonin is an extensively researched and widely used supplement for a variety of sleep disorders. Although available synthetically as a supplement, melatonin is best taken under medical supervision.

Other Sources of Info

2 Comments »
Tagged as: bedroom, lighting, melatonin, sleeping difficulties, vacation