Nature's Sleep Aid is Surfing at First Light

The sun-drenched days of late summer have slipped into an airy autumn, and the year's busiest season is now upon us. School's back in session, and the approaching holidays promise to uphold the spirit of tradition–arriving not soon enough, yet somehow still before you know it.

Amidst all the good (and tiresome) chaos, it's easy to stretch yourself thin. Mental exhaustion and sleep deprivation are pervasive in their ability to negatively impact your life. Luckily, nature has its own proven remedial activity: surfing. Carving moments of quiet out is essential, and it's the very foundation we built this community on.

There's nothing quite like falling asleep to the anticipation of salt water and early morning stillness. Here at FLSC, we don't just paddle out at first light–we dream of it. 

Surfing & Sleep

Surfing is a full-body exercise that has known immediate and long-term health benefits. An increase of melatonin is produced from exposure to sunlight, and that combined with the stress reducing qualities of being in the ocean and the demanding physical exertion surfing requires, the sport is sure to put you right to bed. 

• Surfing at first light can reset your circadian rhythm. Sunlight is a powerful tool for regulating your body. Being out there in the ocean as the first signs of sunlight light up the horizon can be all you need to establish your internal clock with proper timing for the day, setting you up for more restful sleep at night. 

• Morning sunlight exposure releases cortisol. Also known as the "wake-up hormone," being in the water as the sun is rising allows your brain to register time of day through light emitted, which consequently sets the timer on melatonin production when it's time to fall asleep at night. 

• Surfing can improve the quality of your sleep. As your muscles repair from the exhaustion of the aerobic workout of surfing, you will fall into a deeper, REM sleep cycle, as a result of a healthy circadian rhythm.

• Surfing nurtures the mental state that makes good sleep possible. Time in the ocean encourages mindfulness–those precious pockets of stillness away from the buzz of daily life. Taking time to nurture your passions will drive you forward into a more productive day, and into a better version of yourself. Plus, you won't be kept up by nagging thoughts and pulls because you're not connecting with yourself, contributing to restlessness.

• Good sleep gives way to good surf: a positive feedback loop. Getting a good night's rest will get you pumped to paddle out the next morning. It's a self-fulfilling cycle that leaves participating parties full of more energy and more stoke.