Light Therapy To Naturally Cure Your Insomnia

Many prominent Doctors in Greece and Rome are said to have discovered, many years ago, that sunlight is a very effective means to treat depression and other disorders.



It was only after extensive research conducted in the early 1980s, that experts now recognize the importance of light therapy as a natural and valuable treatment for sleep disorders such as insomnia.



The body has a natural internal clock that functions according to a specific set rhythm. If it helps, you can think of this clock as being 'programmed' to sense what it is we do and when we do it. When the sun disappears and it begins to get dark, the body starts to shut down certain functions and areas of the brain. It is effectively getting into sleep mode. As the night blends into day, this process is reversed.



Many external factors can alter the timing of this internal clock and get it completely mixed up. Common causes of this can be seen in people who work night shifts or fly across time zones and suffer jet lag. Also, should the external clocks go forward or back depending on the seasons, a negative affect in your body rhythm can be quite prominent. Wrong signals are then sent to the brain at the wrong time. This can affect a person in a number of ways and lead to insomnia at different levels of severity.



When you should be receiving the 'shutting down' signal during early evening as you enter pre-sleep, your body only starts sending the signal in the early hours of the morning throwing you off kilter. If this is the case, you may experience some difficulty falling asleep, especially if your body is not physically tired. Similarly, the 'wake-up' signal is also sent too late and you have difficulty waking up, leaving you groggy and short tempered.



Contrary to the above scenario, your body may send out the signals too early forcing your body into a sense of sleep way before it is time. This shift works the other way too, you will wake too early. For many, this is common, for these are the times when we wake in the middle of the night and cannot get back to sleep again.



Do not despair, however, as it is in these situations that light therapy can be used very successfully to re-adjust your body's internal clock.



When in a state of early insomnia i.e., difficulty falling asleep, bright light therapy first thing in the morning will help you to shake off the groggyness. By subjecting yourself to 30 minutes to an hour of intense bright light your body clock will slowly but surely adjust itself in the correct way.



Alternatively, if you are experiencing late insomnia, light therapy should surely be applied at night.



Light therapy treatment may appear deceivingly simple, however, it should always be initiated under the guidence and supervision of a physician, psychologist or therapist who is knowledgeable on the treatment.



A few potential issues to be aware of before beginning any type of light therapy:



If you suffer from any kind of problems with your eyes, such as retinal detachment, cataracts or glaucoma, then you must consult your optometrist.



You must also go for a general check up with your local GP.



If you suffer from light sensitivity to any degree or have bipolar disorder, you should avoid bright light therapy and use an alternative method laid out in this report.



You must also avoid light therapy if you are feeling feverish.



As with all bright lights, remember to never look directly into the source of the light.



Light therapy is gaining more awareness and acceptance as a one of the more successful natural treatments for late and initial insomnia.