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| Is the light in the bedroom at night good for health? |
A new study in the Journal of Sleep shows that keeping the bedroom dark not only helps us get a good night's sleep, but can also significantly reduce the incidence of three serious health problems. Specifically, older men and women who use night lights, TVs, smartphones or tablets are more likely to suffer from obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes than those not exposed to any any light source at night.
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The lead author of this study is Dr. Minjee Kim - lecturer at Northwestern University (USA). This scientist has warned that: using light sources at night is against the laws of nature because it will "trick" the brain between night and day. Over time, the body's natural biological signals are disrupted, weakened, and can cause metabolic and heart disease.
Several factors may account for the ill health effects of overnight light exposure: the first is that nighttime light can impair health by regulating circadian clocks. ; Second, light is a powerful inhibitor of melatonin – also known as the dark hormone, which has been linked to many health properties, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Dr. Minjee Kim's research team also gives advice on keeping bedroom lighting to a minimum: i) Do not turn on the lights, if for safety, keep the lights at a dark level, near the floor. ; ii) Pay attention to the color of the light source, amber or red/orange will be less stimulating to the brain. Do not use white/blue light and place the light away from the bed; iii) If outdoor light cannot be controlled, use shade or wear an eye mask; iv) Place the bed in a place where outdoor light does not hit the face.