Working full-time with two little kids often means my mornings are rushed - especially when it comes to the school run.
Hair unbrushed and looking tired normally means I'd grab my sunglasses on the way out. They act as a brilliant disguise to cover up my exhaustion and I even wore them in the winter months. I felt quite cool in them, but little did I know it was affecting my circadian rhythm and hormones and in fact, making me more tired.
© Michael Stuart-Daley PhotographyWhy do sunglasses make us tired?
It's all down to circadian rhythm, our 24-hour internal body clock. Our circadian rhythm regulates the cycles of alertness and sleep by responding to light changes in our environment.
Sunrise and morning light help us to feel alert and ready to engage with the day, whereas the darker sky towards the end of the day helps us to relax and prepare for sleep. The darker sky also influences our body to make melatonin, known as the sleep hormone.
In the morning, sunlight entering our eyes suppresses melatonin to help cut out sleepiness and wake us up, whereas when the sky gets darker at night, our body starts to release melatonin into our bloodstream which helps us to fall asleep.
Exposing ourselves to morning sunlight also allows our body to prepare for melatonin formation later in the day, which is why sunglasses can cause issues.
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Wearing sunglasses in the morning for long periods was not only keeping my energy levels low, as it was blocking sunlight entering my eyes but also stopping the natural formation of melatonin for my end-of-day rest – a double whammy for me and my exhaustion.
Studies have found that daylight exposure not only helps increase your sleep duration but also helps improve sleep quality and getting to sleep earlier. This was a light bulb moment for me, as I realised my beloved sunglasses may have been one of the reasons for my tiredness.
© Michael Stuart-DaleyMood-boost
Morning sunlight is also known to bring a small increase to cortisol (also known as the stress hormone), but this small spike can help lower stress for the rest of the day which is a bonus.
Another benefit of morning sunlight is that it increases the 'feel-good' hormone serotonin which boosts your mood and later converts to melatonin, your sleep hormone, allowing you to get a good night's sleep which is essential in your healing.
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Sunglasses
Biohacker and psychology specialist Tim Gray further emphasised the concern surrounding sunglasses, when he noted that sunglasses can starve the pineal gland (the gland that helps regulate your body's circadian rhythm ) and trick the brain in thinking it's cloudy.
"On a sunny day, specific wavelengths of light filter from the sun into the eyes. This feeds the pituitary and pineal glands and lets the brain know it's sunny. The skin then prepares for direct sunlight exposure and gets ready to make vitamin D."
© GettySo not only was wearing sunglasses affecting my energy levels but possibly my body's production of vitamin D through sunlight, which here in the UK we as a nation are pretty low on anyway!
If your eyes aren’t absorbing sunlight naturally, your hormone cycles can be severely altered, messing with many different body systems and moods.
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Say goodbye to sunglasses
Knowing this, the next time you are feeling a little tired leaving the house, rather than picking up a pair of sunglasses, throw on a hat instead.
Sunglasses can be a great accessory to complete an outfit and have their advantages when worn to protect your eyes if driving in bright sunshine or shielding the eyes when skiing, but remember, when worn for long periods they can affect your sleep cycle as well as your energy levels so be selective as to when you next wear them.
