SAD: When I did a very brief lit search, the research showed much larger effects of vitamin D supplementation than light exposure therapy. Of course, they weren’t using enough dakka on the light, so both should be used. But two of my close friends with severe SAD were dramatically improved when I got them to supplement D regularly. It’s handy that you don’t need to take it regularly, just in large doses occasionally (probably don’t do more than 50k IU at a time for safety). Sorry I didn’t keep the references where I can find them!
Again, doing both is probably a good idea, but most people seem to be vit. D deficient, as you’d expect from a light-exposure-synthesized vitamin, with all of this modern unnatural clothes-wearing and indoors-dwelling.
Back to light: as the standard male night owl (particularly on a WFH flexible schedule): Am I understanding you correctly that if I wanted to go to bed earlier (not sure I do but I probably should), I’d wake up earlier and blast my eyeballs with light right away, then avoid bright light 3-4 hours before bed? Anything else?
I agree with you on the importance of Vitamin D—it has helped me enormously. Most studies on Vitamin D focus on achieving levels similar to those experienced during summertime. However, few of the bright light studies come anywhere close to replicating the typical lux levels experienced in summer. From my anecdotal experience, I’ve found that spending several hours under 10,000 lux+ artificial lights can totally transform my mood.
You are correct in your understanding of things to try as a night owl. One other thing you might consider is supplementing with 0.5mg of melatonin around 6pm [1]. Exogenous melatonin also has a phase response curve for affecting your circadian rhythm. It’s important to stick to a low dose; otherwise, you’re likely to feel drowsy in the evening.
Any reason for the timing window being 4 hours before instead of 30 min to 1 hour? Most of the stuff I’ve heard is around half an hour to an hour before bed, I’m currently doing this with 0.3ish mg (I divide a 1 mg tablet in 3) of melatonin.
Melatonin (particularly at higher doses) has a fast-acting sedative effect, so if you want to use it to help you fall asleep, then taking it 30 minutes before bed makes sense.
However, if you want to use it to advance your circadian rhythm (i.e., be inclined to be more of a morning person), then it has the greatest effect when taken 9–11 hours before your sleep midpoint (so very roughly at 6 p.m.). Below is a graph of the effect it has on the circadian rhythm.
Great post, thank you!
SAD: When I did a very brief lit search, the research showed much larger effects of vitamin D supplementation than light exposure therapy. Of course, they weren’t using enough dakka on the light, so both should be used. But two of my close friends with severe SAD were dramatically improved when I got them to supplement D regularly. It’s handy that you don’t need to take it regularly, just in large doses occasionally (probably don’t do more than 50k IU at a time for safety). Sorry I didn’t keep the references where I can find them!
Again, doing both is probably a good idea, but most people seem to be vit. D deficient, as you’d expect from a light-exposure-synthesized vitamin, with all of this modern unnatural clothes-wearing and indoors-dwelling.
Back to light: as the standard male night owl (particularly on a WFH flexible schedule): Am I understanding you correctly that if I wanted to go to bed earlier (not sure I do but I probably should), I’d wake up earlier and blast my eyeballs with light right away, then avoid bright light 3-4 hours before bed? Anything else?
Thanks a lot, Seth!
I agree with you on the importance of Vitamin D—it has helped me enormously. Most studies on Vitamin D focus on achieving levels similar to those experienced during summertime. However, few of the bright light studies come anywhere close to replicating the typical lux levels experienced in summer. From my anecdotal experience, I’ve found that spending several hours under 10,000 lux+ artificial lights can totally transform my mood.
You are correct in your understanding of things to try as a night owl. One other thing you might consider is supplementing with 0.5mg of melatonin around 6pm [1]. Exogenous melatonin also has a phase response curve for affecting your circadian rhythm. It’s important to stick to a low dose; otherwise, you’re likely to feel drowsy in the evening.
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/95/7/3325/2596406?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Any reason for the timing window being 4 hours before instead of 30 min to 1 hour? Most of the stuff I’ve heard is around half an hour to an hour before bed, I’m currently doing this with 0.3ish mg (I divide a 1 mg tablet in 3) of melatonin.
Melatonin (particularly at higher doses) has a fast-acting sedative effect, so if you want to use it to help you fall asleep, then taking it 30 minutes before bed makes sense.
However, if you want to use it to advance your circadian rhythm (i.e., be inclined to be more of a morning person), then it has the greatest effect when taken 9–11 hours before your sleep midpoint (so very roughly at 6 p.m.). Below is a graph of the effect it has on the circadian rhythm.
^https://www.timeshifter.com/jet-lag/melatonin-for-jet-lag-type-dose-timing