But you shouldnt worry too much about disruptions to your circadian rhythm With a few sleep tips you will more than be able to withstand the midnight sun and even come to love and accept it like Alaskas year round residents do
Here are a couple of tips to remember when visiting the Last Frontier
If youre only visiting for a short time try and keep your sleepwake cycles as close to your home time zone as possible By staying relatively close to your home time you will avoid having to adjust to Alaska time without having to adjust back to your home time after your short trip
If staying for longer than a weekend start adjusting your sleepwake schedule to match that of your destination For instance if you are traveling west to reach Alaska start staying up a little later and waking a little later each day until you are in sync with Alaska time If traveling east to Alaska go to bed and wake a little earlier until on AK Standard Time
Try to avoid the daylight in the evenings close to bedtime and get exposure to light early in the morning As stated before light exposure helps regulate your sleepwake cycles and getting or avoiding light at key times of the day can go a long way to keeping your sleep patterns healthy
Make sure that the bedroom you are staying in has dark curtains or blinds to keep the extra light out of the room In a pinch thumbtacking a blanket over the window can work just as well
If sleeping in a bright room RV or in a tent under the midnight sun wear a sleep mask to bed to keep the light from disturbing your sleep
Avoid alcohol close to bedtime We know youre on vacation so a nightcap is probably in order However while alcohol can make initiating sleep easier it also causes you to have disturbed sleep and wake frequently in the night
And finally just because you can stay up past midnight to enjoy all the wonders of Alaska doesnt necessarily mean you should Unless of course youre attending the annual Midnight Sun Baseball Game played by the Alaska Goldpanners in which case staying up past midnight to watch a ball game played without artificial light is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged
So there you have it a few summer sleep tips for your visit to Alaska this summer We cant wait to have you visit our beautiful state and share with you the wonders of the midnight sun
If napping is becoming more common due to what you believe is a health condition talk to your family doctor If you would like to speak to a sleep specialist about benefits you can receive from napping or if you believe you have a more serious sleep disorder contact The Alaska Sleep Clinic for a free consultation
