It's scared of sunshine, comes out at night, and once it's got its fang into you, you're out like a light. It's not Dracula, it's the 'vampire hormone', and according to an insomnia doctor it's what you need for a good night's rest.
The 'vampire hormone' plays an important role in your circadian rhythm, the internal clock that controls your sleep-wake cycle. As sunlight fades, the 'vampire hormone' rises, preparing your body for good sleep. But when you don't have enough of it, you can come face-to-face with a real monster: 3 a.m. wake ups.
I spoke to Dr. Pedram Navab, neurologist, sleep medicine specialist and author, about how this 'vampire hormone' helps you fall asleep fast and sleep through the night. Plus, why he recommends sitting in the dark before bed if you want to improve your sleep quality.
What is the 'vampire hormone'?
The vampire hormone is friendlier than the name suggests. Think less Nosferatu and more The Count from Sesame Street. And you probably know it by another name: melatonin.
"Melatonin rises when it's dark, which makes sense, right?" says Dr. Navab. "Because from an evolutionary perspective we needed that darkness to tell us that is when to go to sleep, and to adhere to your circadian rhythm."
- Melatonin is a natural hormone that starts to rise about 2 hours before bedtime and helps you fall asleep
- It can also help you sleep through the Cortisol Awakening Response, which starts waking you up around 3 a.m.
Over a millennia of evolution, our bodies have learnt darkness is a signal to sleep. So when the light drops, melatonin levels rise and the 'sleep' part of your sleep-wake cycle starts. It's one of the reasons we recommend dimming the lights in the evening; so the 'vampire hormone' knows to come out.
Elevated melatonin levels also help you sleep through the night. In the early hours of the morning, as production of the 'vampire hormone' wanes, levels of awakening-chemical cortisol rise. This can cause sleep disruptions and 3 a.m. wake ups.
But when your body has enough melatonin, you can sleep through this hormone swing. "When you're talking about the vampire hormone, that's basically what it is," says Dr. Navab.
How to increase the 'vampire hormone': Two ways to get more
1. Familiarize yourself with the dark
Melatonin starts to rise around two hours before you go to bed, and darkness is key to the process. Dr. Navab's first tip can get the whole thing going, although it does sound a little eerie — sitting in the dark.
"We've relegated the night to things that are bad. Nightmares, horror films, paranormal experiences, where monsters and ghosts come out," says Dr. Navab. "But I tell my patients to really try to connect yourself to the night."
In other words, make like a vampire and become familiar with the dark.
"Just sit in a dark room, an hour before you go to bed, and try to make it a friendlier kind of space," he advises. "Once you make it friendly, sleep is not going to be as difficult for you."
He points out that nighttime is often when we "ruminate", getting lost in stressful thoughts and sending cortisol levels rocketing. But when we see the dark as a friendly place, the 'vampire hormone' can get on with its job.
"You don't have to lie in bed, just sit in a dark room, close your eyes, and think about what the night can offer you." (Hopefully, some decent snooze.)
2. Read a good (fiction) book
It's not just vampires and melatonin that come out at night. There's also werewolves... and anxious thoughts. Stress uses the cover of darkness to prey on your thought patterns and leave you lying awake. But Dr. Navab's second tip acts like a bulb of garlic to a racing mind.
"If you're in bed, get a paper novel — not a nonfiction book, not my book," he says. "Get a paper novel — not a Kindle — and just read about someone else's life."
Studies have found that reading in bed can help you sleep better. Even as little as six minutes of reading can lower stress levels.
For Dr. Navab, the type of book matters if you want to keep your vampire hormone levels elevated. "Paperback fiction puts you into someone else's perspective and you kind of lose your train of thought about your problems," he says. "That really helps."
Other tips to boost melatonin and sleep through the night
Briefly waking up at night is normal, as your body moves through different sleep stages. However, it becomes a problem when these wake ups are prolonged and impacting your sleep quality.
To help keep your sleep-wake cycle balanced and reduce late night disruptions, try incorporating these tips into your routine.
- Set a consistent bedtime: Your internal clock thrives on repetition. When you have a consistent bedtime, the body learns the best time to release melatonin, helping you drop off when you climb into bed.
- Dim the lights in the evening: If you aren't willing to sit in the dark, an easier alternative is to lower the lights and switch to amber bulbs. There are more sleep-friendly than blue lights, signaling to the vampire hormone that it's safe to come out.
- Put down your work emails: Vampires are notoriously work shy (you'll never see Dracula in an office cubicle.) The vampire hormone also hates work, as it can send cortisol levels sky rocketing. Set a firm time to switch off from your job — no more 'one last email'.
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