Closing blinds, curtains and turning off lamps or televisions when it’s time to sleep is the best thing for health, because Even Moderate Light Exposure Increases Risk of Heart Disease and Insulin Resistance, Study Shows what is he posting today Pnas.
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“A single night of exposure to moderate room lighting during sleep can impair glucose regulation and the cardiovascular system, which are risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome,” according to the lead author of the research Phyllis Zee, from Northwestern University (United States).
Sleeping in a moderately lit room at night, versus sleeping in a dimly lit room, activates the autonomic nervous system, which is bad, because normally the heart rate and other cardiovascular parameters are lower at night and higher during the day, explained Daniela Grimaldi, another of the authors.
The researchers found that moderate light exposure caused the body to enter a heightened state of alert, in which the heart rate increases.
Insulin resistance occurred the next morning. It occurs when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t use glucose in your blood for energy. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, and over time, the blood sugar level rises.
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There is evidence that exposure to light during the day increases the heart rate through activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which gets the heart going and increases alertness to face the challenges of the day.
“Our results indicate that a similar effect also occurs when light exposure occurs during nighttime sleep,” Zee said.
A previous study published in Jama Internal Medicine examined a large number of healthy people who were exposed to light during sleep and found that there were more overweight and obesity. “Now we show a mechanism that might be essential to explain why this happens,” said the expert, since it affects the ability to regulate glucose.
The study tested the effect of sleeping with 100 lux (moderate light) compared to 3 lux (dim light) on participants for one night.
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The researchers found that moderate light exposure caused the body to enter a heightened state of alertness, in which the heart rate increases, as does the force with which the heart contracts and the speed with which blood is pumped. conducted to the blood vessels.
Exposure to artificial light at night while sleeping is common, either through devices that emit light inside or from sources outside the home, especially in large urban areas.
In addition, a significant proportion of individuals (up to 40 percent) sleep with a bedside lamp on or a light in the bedroom or keep the television on, the study indicates.
The authors recommend not turning on the light at night, but if it is necessary, for example in the case of the elderly for safety reasons, it is better to keep it dim, close to the ground and opt for an amber or red/orange color, which is less stimulating to the brain than white or blue.
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