We wake to the golden light that strikes in through our windows, kickstarting a fresh day of adventures. Our feats may differ in intensity based on the sleep we have had the previous day because it is the duration of sleep that reflects in our efficiency. But have you thought of never waking up to the sunlight the next day? Life couldn’t get more clueless than a night that never ends. It is important that we find the area where we can expand our potential and working time so that we stay engaged in such situations.

But studies say that humans wouldn’t spend time working on what they are already hooked onto. Most people will explore the endless night, searching for answers. Another confounding theory of endless nights is if humans would have trouble sleeping when they aren’t exposed to natural light. Let us take a tour through the caves of endless nights and pitch-black days to understand the different situations one could be in when nature reacts in the strangest ways.

In the Arctic Circle

Midnight sun exists in the Arctic Circle, which includes the states of Alaska, Greenland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Canada. These regions are known for the extreme light and cold. Another noticeable feature of the Arctic Circle is that it faces extreme darkness. The days shrink with one 24 hours of daylight followed by 24 hours of darkness. Although the nights are long, people don’t sleep all day. At this time of the year, the people of the Arctic regions suffer from the condition called “Midwinter Insomnia.”

However, many of them have been able to cope with this annually occurring phenomenon. Other factors such as the alarm clock and social aspects make it easier for the people in the Arctic Circle to continue with their sleep routine without affecting their health, meaning the lack of sunlight doesn’t always affect the residents. Only if such stimuli are cut out can we observe the changes in human behavioral patterns.

A Deep Dark Cave

A cave below the surface of the earth where no natural light enters is a great place to experiment with the effects of such conditions on sleep. Nathaniel Kleitman had spent almost a month in 1938 in the mammoth cave in Kentucky to investigate the 24-hour sleep cycle. It was a study that shed light on the concept of internal factors having an impact on sleep/wake patterns. He went deeper into the cave to remove all environmental cues, further experimenting with the dark interiors. The results of the study proved that people who are used to the experiences of a 24-hour day find it easier to fall asleep even in such difficult conditions. On the other hand, younger adults and individuals would take a considerable amount of time to get used to the change in sleep schedules and routines.

At Home

A 24-hour day persists within humans even when the whole day is dark. External stimuli may alter that clock to affect your sleep; however, people with jetlag may get better sleep.

About the Author Harold Garza

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