Good quality sleep is an important factor in improving work and study performance. When considering sleep, serotonin is an important factor. Increasing the amount of exercise promotes the secretion of serotonin. At night, serotonin becomes melatonin, which promotes sleep. There is a mechanism by which exercise promotes the secretion of serotonin, which results in good sleep. Humans have evolved to become active with the sunrise and decrease their activity with the sunset. In the course of evolution, we have created a cycle of serotonin and melatonin, allowing us to enjoy good quality activity and sleep. Serotonin is a hormone of awakening, secreted in the morning, and improves brain function. At night, the secretion of serotonin decreases, and melatonin is produced from serotonin. Melatonin leads to good quality sleep. By shifting to wake up earlier, you can achieve this good circulation.
Ingenuity and tools to help you sleep have been developed. An interesting light was developed in Italy. It is called Metamorphosis. This light is not hung from the ceiling like ordinary lighting fixtures. It is like stage lighting, illuminating the entire space. This light allows you to finely adjust the color of the entire room depending on your mood and the situation. In particular, in a space called “Dream”, the light is dimmed according to the situation in which the user falls asleep. The space created by Metamorphosis seems to have the power to stimulate relaxation and creativity. It has been praised as a product unique to Italy, which has a tradition of stained glass.
Of course, Japan is not far behind. Japan has a culture of incense ceremony（Kodo）, which appeals not to light, which appeals to the visual sense, but to smell. Several mechanisms have been developed to use scents to induce sleep. Everyone has their own preferences for what kind of sleep is good. Once you understand your own sleep patterns, you can make your own efforts to get a good night’s sleep. It is generally said that alternating between non-REM and REM sleep in 90-minute intervals is good. There is no doubt that high-quality sleep is necessary to achieve creative and productive work. If you can identify your own sleeping patterns, it might be interesting to add the aromas of Kodo to Metamorphosis to create a sleep regimen that is just right for you.
