A hormone imbalance often contributes to depression. That imbalance can become worse when the bedroom surroundings interfere with the two most environmentally sensitive hormones - melatonin and cortisol. Their job is to read and interpret the body's surroundings and then, based on that information, prepare the body's response. When the information they receive disturbs their normal ebb and flow all the hormones in the body are affected and everything goes haywire. It's a bit like tweaking one part of a delicately balanced mobile - the whole mobile ends up moving.

With adjustments to the surroundings that these hormones are interpreting, these hormones can be stabilized restoring much of the balance to the hormone mobile.

What can I do?

• Spend the hour before bed on low light, low noise, low demand activities
• Spend an hour outside every morning
• Unplug electrical and wireless equipment at night
• Keep the bedroom dark - using red light where necessary
• Avoid penetrating chemicals in personal care products
• Eliminate noise entry and it's transfer between hard surfaces
• For more suggestions and a better understanding of how the body sees its surroundings and the impact those surroundings can have, read 'Sleep-Powered Wellness: Better Bedrooms for Turbocharged Zzzz's' by Angela Hobbs

Recommended Reading - Books

The Sleep-Powered Wellness Workbook: Better Bedrooms for Better Sleep, by Angela Hobbs
Hobbs guides the reader through the 24 hour hormone rhythm revealing the many ways that a person's surroundings can be used to support it. A workbook packed with simple, inexpensive suggestions for exploiting our surroundings to support our most environmentally sensitive hormones.

Sleep-Powered Wellness: Better Bedrooms for Turbocharged Zzzz's, by Angela Hobbs
Hobbs discusses the impact that noise, wireless, light, electricity, chemicals and air pollutants can have on the hormones responsible for sleep and alertness, and ultimately on many common symptoms of ill health.

Is it Weird in Here or is it Just Me? A Real-time and First-hand Account of Depression for Families, Friends and Carers by Rod Whyte
A book for caregivers in which Whyte gives a gritty description of what's going on in the mind of a depressed person.

The Depression Cure: 7 Rapid Steps Program to Beat Depression Now by Heather Rose
Rose offers the reader a motivating selection of practical and effective tips for feeling better quickly.