Trouble Sleeping? Try Camping!

August 01, 2013 (WLS) -- Camping has always been a classic summer pastime to many. Though it has always been known as a great bonding activity, research now suggests that camping may have more benefits than just that. It may be a capable sleep aid as well.

Modern conveniences like computers and TVs can keep us connected and entertained. But they may also be what's keeping us up at night  and making us more tired during the day.

That's why researchers at the University of Colorado wanted to see what would happen if they took eight volunteers into the great outdoors.

They studied the subjects in two settings  one week in a typical, artificially lit environment, the other week while they camped outside.

While the subjects were camping, their sleep cycles changed  and they reported feeling less tired.

The study backs up past research showing that artificial light can lead to disturbances in natural sleep patterns.

The good news here is that while we might not be able to go camping for a week, we can all get more natural sunlight. Go outside during the day, turn off the TV and computer at night, and have a better night's sleep.

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