I just went to the amber goggles site. I didn’t know there was such a thing! Now I am curious how we get more blue light. I didn’t know there was such a thing as blue light – just knew natural lighting is what to strive for and flourescent lighting is not what we need.

I also find it intriguing what is said about window glass somehow compromising the natural light…one thinks they are getting natural light when their curtains are open, but the window glass somehow filters it.

That makes so much sense what you say about dim lights causing sleepiness. I marvel at the wisdom of the body.

I went back in and made some edits to my article, thanks to your feedback. Thanks again, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend…with plenty of sleep, right? : )

My research has all been aimed at understanding my own sleep disorder, but I’ve had to read a lot about normal people, too

Melatonin secretion actually starts well before a person gets sleepy, if the light is dim, and apparently leads to sleepiness. Light in the morning needs to have plenty of blue in it; dim light in the evening should have more orange and less blue in it. Some people even switch to amber colored lamps in the evening. I’ve bought orange/amber goggles for the purpose, but I keep forgetting to put them on

(Here is one source of amber goggles: https://www.lowbluelights.com/products.asp?cid=15 )

Darkness is ideal while sleeping and the blindfold-type masks are good. Many people have very well-lit bathrooms, and spending 5 minutes there in the middle of the night with lights on can reduce melatonin levels somewhat. A candle is ok

Circadian rhythms are fascinating, and there’s constantly new knowledge out there.

Wow, that is interesting about the light sensors behind the knees. I work with 2 doctors who are still under that impression. I will have to inform them, thanks to you!

So, the thing for people to do is focus on maintaining a dark room for the sensors in the eyes? Do you think that those black eye masks are effective? Under the impression that there are light receptors behind the knees, I couldn’t see where they could be effective…but if there are none, then wouldn’t the dark eye masks be effective to keep out light and thus not negatively affect melatonin?

Seeing your comments made me dig into it myself…serotonin is a neurotransmittter, a biochemical messenger and regulator, synthesized from the essential amino acid L-TRYPTOPHAN. Part of serotonin converts to melatonin in the pineal gland. I suppose the key is balance – sufficient daylight to produce serotonin and sufficient darkness to produce melatonin.

I thank you for your comments! I want to be sure I am communicating accurate information, and I so appreciate your help!

(Similarly, one can still read all over the place that the human circadian period is 25 hours. Not true. Scientists thought so once. It is now known that the human circadian period (for adults of all ages) is 24 hours and 11 minutes, +/- 16 minutes.)

It is true that the pineal gland produces and secretes melatonin in the dark while light banishes the hormone from the blood. Anyone taking a melatonin supplement in the evening should get plenty of light right after awakening, otherwise the body may be tricked into believing that the nights are very long.

(Now I’ve gotta go look up serotonin and try to figure out where it comes from. I don’t think the pineal produces it, but the pineal does use it in the production of melatonin IIRC.)

Thanks, Ann