Falling into a new season + Tree Medicine

The weather is turning cooler as the days grow shorter. I've been wrapping up the growing season in my gardens, drying and tincturing the bounty of summer for use during the rest of the year, and planting fall seeds for next year's harvest.

The high energy and activity of the summer months is fading, and I am feeling the shift to deeper rest. Living at the latitude we do is tricky for circadian rhythms. Already, the sunrise is happening closer to 8:00am, and sunset is before 5:00pm. Of course, we're generally up before 8:00, and not ready for bed yet when we're preparing supper. Electric lights have made it possible to prolong our winter days, but that can come at a cost.

Blue light from the sun is NOT a problem because it always comes paired together with red and infrared light. Blue light from the sun (which we get the most of during the mid-day hours) is essential for our human bodies. It helps us know what time it is and helps to regulate our circadian rhythm. Blue light from the sun is like the conductor of the symphony making sure everything runs harmoniously. The problem with blue light is when we separate it from that balancing red and infrared.

Blue light from human-made devices (home and office light bulbs, modern street lamps, car headlights, tvs/smart phones/tablets) is missing the red and infrared, and raises cortisol, blood sugar, and insulin. When used after sunset, our body thinks it’s daytime and will perform “daytime” functions instead of winding down and releasing melatonin (a powerful antioxidant that helps us sleep and repair). This blue light is damaging to our health, driving metabolic disorders, insomnia, weight gain, and more.

Before electricity, and especially before LED and florescent lights became ubiquitous, people were exposed to much warmer-toned, orangey light in the evenings, which helped their brain and body wind down for sleep. I recently changed our lamp light bulbs to amber bulbs (non-blue light). They are dimmer and more orangey in color, mimicking firelight or sunset. We find this change has really helped us fall asleep quicker and experience deeper, more restorative sleep. Here are some other tips to help your sleep during the darker months:

• Expose yourself to morning light (preferably sunrise) to set your circadian rhythm for the day. Morning sunlight, even through a window, primes our body for producing melatonin that night.

• Consider using calming herbs such as chamomile, valerian, passionflower, or hops to help your body and mind relax into sleep. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, milky oat seed, or linden can help soothe your nervous system and help combat insomnia.

• Limit screen time for at least two hours before bed (and/or use red-tinted glasses, or a blue-light blocking app on your computer or phone); create a calm evening routine, and ensure you’re winding down in a dark, quiet environment to improve your sleep quality further.