26/10/2025
When to go to bed?
Internet has further disrupted the sleeping habits of Malians, especially younger people. Some may stay online until late at night. Yet, this practice has a negative impact on their health.
A naturopathic doctor’s video explaining the viral phenomenon of the “second wind” and its effects on sleep hormones has gone viral, resonating with many night owls.
In the clip, Dr Kara explains that going to bed between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. disrupts the natural balance of hormones – cortisol and melatonin – leading to poor sleep quality.
“If you go to bed between 11pm and 1am, you are doing a disservice to your hormones,” she begins. “In the evening, cortisol should be at its absolute lowest because it needs to allow melatonin to be at its highest to put you in a deeper restorative sleep”.
Cortisol and melatonin work in opposite ways, so if you push your body to go to bed past 11 p.m., you’re causing a second, third, or even fourth cortisol spike.
“This spike prevents and suppresses melatonin’s release,” she explains.
“The spike also causes a bout of hypoglycaemia in the middle of the night, forcing you to wake up a few hours later, so the best time to go to bed is 10:30pm to avoid the second spike and wake-up time around 6:30am”.
Sahel Times with New York Post
AI Image generated by ChatGPT
