Use a Sleep Mask for Deeper Sleep — and Even Weight Loss?
New research from Northwestern University, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (March 14), shows that if you sleep with a light on — even a light so dim that you can't read by it — this triggers your adrenaline (sympathetic nervous system) to remain active during sleep.
Why is this important? Because one of the reasons for nonrestorative sleep in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia is that the nervous system gets stuck in high adrenaline mode during sleep. So even the sleep they do get is nonrestorative.
The study also shows that being stuck in adrenaline mode during sleep triggers insulin resistance, which translates to weight gain. So, this may be one more cause of the average 32 ½ pound weight gain commonly seen in patients with CFS and fibromyalgia.
The bottom line? Wearing a sleep mask to black out any ambient light during sleep may make your rest more restorative, and maybe even help you shed a few pounds.
Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D. is one of the most frequently quoted post viral CFS, fibromyalgia, energy, sleep and pain medical authorities in the world. He is the author of 12 books including You Can Heal from Long Covid, the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!, Pain Free 1-2-3, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction, Real Cause Real Cure, The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution, and the popular free Smart Phone app Cures A-Z. He is the lead author of eight research studies and three medical textbook chapters on effective treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. Teitelbaum appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide, including past appearances on Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and FoxNewsHealth.
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