With all that has changed in these last two weeks, one thing has not – have you noticed? So far, the sun still rises and sets, we have day and night. Light surrounds us, it is there, it supports us and entrains us to the 24-hour day – body, mind and nature quietly working in sync.
With our somewhat more regular schedules, I have heard that colleagues are sleeping longer, sleeping better, feeling more energized throughout the day. Could it be that signal from light doing what it is meant to do – starting a 24-hour rhythm and keeping the beat?
These coronavirus-induced circumstances will not last forever, everyone hopes. Can we take a minute to appreciate that we still have some control over our wellbeing? We can look out a window for several minutes in the morning, or step outside our front doors and breathe in the air; keep our surrounding light bright during the day, then lower light levels at home in the evening, and not expose ourselves or children to bright tablets and televisions late at night.
For some, the circadian gods have aligned through difficult times. For others, it may take a little longer. However, when we let light do what it is supposed to do, entrainment ensues. That is a good thing.