February’s moon is known by a few names: Snow Moon, Storm Moon, and Hunger Moon. I’ll add to that one of my own –Sleepless Moon. That spotlight moon with its false dawn has been stealing my sleep these past two nights. I won’t even tell you what time it is as I sit here writing this. Let’s just say it’s barely yesterday. That full, bright, sleep-disrupting moon is exaggerated by the snow kicking moonlight everywhere. I admit it’s breathtaking outside.
Looking out the second floor window I can see the shadows are long on the undisturbed snow. I mentioned earlier this week how the snow-covered view in the daytime is comprised of blues of all kinds. At night it’s a different story. The world becomes a sketch in charcoal. Or maybe it’s still blue, just darker shades. I can’t tell. I have night blindness. Because I’m generally unable to see in the dark, I very much appreciate a moonlit view, when I’m not trying to sleep, that is. If it wasn’t -5º I’d go outside to take it all in. Being able to actually see at night is a rare treat for me. Alas, too cold.
Living smack in the middle of a wild environment like I do, my circadian rhythm is fairly tuned. It’s endogenous, meaning it comes from within. I’m one of those people who wakes five minutes before the alarm clock goes off. Because of that, we haven’t had a clock in our bedroom for perhaps 30 years. Just no need. If circadian rhythm is a new concept to you, it’s basically your body clock. We humans are diurnal creatures. Our desire and ability to fall asleep is directly influenced by the regular rhythm of daylight that comes in a 24-hour cycle.
A while back I read that studies were done on people in a closed environment. Without external stimuli, they had no idea of external time, no clues or windows from which to see the passing hours of a day. After a while that didn’t matter. Their internal clocks kicked in around a 25-hour cycle. I’ve wondered since reading about the study just what that extra hour is about. Why 25 hours and not 24?
Being in sync with circadian rhythm is essential to life. For us, we need that darkness. Disrupting the sleep cycle has negative consequences on the blood vessels in our body, negative affects on fetal development and reproductive cycles too. It even slows the healing of wounds and contributes to heart attacks, depression, strokes, and cancer.
I think I’ll get a sleep mask.
More~
This is a very interesting link about working that night shift and what it does to us.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070801091343.htm
That fantastic moon image above does not belong to me. It was created by amazing concept artist Leonid Tishkov. Discover more of his surreal moon work and other projects here: http://leonid-tishkov.blogspot.com/search/label/private%20moon
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I blog the 4th of the month at Romance Books ‘4’ Us and my post will be up for a 
few more days. In honor of Valentine’s Day, this month the RB4U authors are writing to the theme Dinner for Two. I shared a deliciously sensual short story. Come see! http://romancebooks4us.blogspot.com/2015/02/sensually-satisfying-by-rose-anderson.html
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Phraseology I often wonder where certain words and sayings come from. For the next few weeks this word collector will examine some familiar phrases to get at their heart. I think you’ll be surprised.
The phrase for today is ~Night owl
We’re all familiar with this phrase used to reference someone who stays up late, but originally it was just a synonym for owl because owls are nocturnal. Night owl in reference to owls shows up in print in 1581. It was Shakespeare who used it as a reference to people in several of his plays. It stuck.
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Today is Author Paris Brandon’s blog day.
http://romancebooks4us.blogspot.com/
Romance Books ‘4’ Us ~ Our February contest is on. Two – $50 GIFT CARDS & MORE
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For years mine had to make major adjustments as the day/night cycle took place in all 24 times zones at different times. Now that I am home all the time I also never need an alarm. I set them, but mostly rely on them during the day so I don’t miss picking Alexis up from the school bus.
You mention of the effects on the body of not having a dark place makes me wonder how it relates to some of my wife’s illnesses. She likes to sleep with bright lights on all night. Now because she is ill we sleep in separate rooms, but I had to place a towel or the blanket over my head until I fell asleep for years.
I think that is one reason I loved being at sea. because some places inside the ship are as dark as a tomb if the lights go out I made sure there were no trip hazards and even now can navigate around a room in total darkness. I carried a flashlight hooked to my belt when out and about. Once when I was on a Navy Submarine Tender we were having a drill (Sub squadrons drill in the dark as did the tender) I was showing a new woman to our drill station. We left early so we could make it before the lights went out. As we were descending a ladder (stairs) the lights went off, she stepped in the middle of my back and we landed at the bottom with her on top of me. I had stopped to reorient, she kept on and fell on me.
I know what you mean, Ray. I need a totally dark room to sleep. I’ve read that even an LED clock throws too much light. Here are two interesting links she might want to see. http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/22/light-night-health-bad-cancer-driving-sleep_n_1619435.html