Shantal Riley

I report on health, science, the environment and the policies that surround them. I try to stay positive because life is short.

It’s True. It’s Getting Harder to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep plays an essential role in maintaining optimal physical and mental health. It allows the brain and body to reenergize, restore vital functions, and reset our internal body clocks. Our sleep is regulated by circadian rhythms, the physiological changes that follow the 24-hour light cycle. But, more and more, researchers find that this natural process is being interrupted by modern life. “The modern light environment acting on our circadian rhythms is chronically sleep-depriving a lot of pe