Sleeping in the nature

If you are still undecided about your holiday destination, think out-of-the-box and take a camping trip.

Two recent studies from the University of Colorado have suggested that a few nights in the woods—without access to smartphones or other sources of artificial light—can help reset the body’s clock and promote longer, healthier sleep.

Participants in the study were going to bed and waking up earlier—closer to sunrise—than they usually did at home, after just a week of summer camping. Saliva testing showed that their bodies also began producing melatonin about two hours earlier than usual. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleepiness and is fundamental for the quality of sleep.

The study found that even just a weekend spent camping in summer was enough to readjust people’s biological clocks more in line with nature. And even if you’re not the sleep-in-a-tent type, the study authors say you can still reap the benefits seen by getting outdoors early in the day and minimizing the use of artificial light at night.