The study, conducted by researchers at Northwestern University in the United States of America in Chicago, concluded that turning off all lights and closing the curtains before bed can reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
The study, whose results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, attributed the finding of scientists to the fact that the body cannot rest properly when the light is strong, which causes a high heart rate.
The researchers pointed out that even dim lighting from natural or artificial sources during sleep can harm cardiovascular function and increase insulin resistance, as cells in muscle, fat and liver struggle to absorb glucose from the body.
The researchers discovered that moderate exposure to light caused the body to enter a state of alert, which was accompanied by an increase in the heart rate as well as the force with which it contracts, and the rate of blood delivery to the blood vessels in the body for the flow of oxygenated blood.
Commenting on the results of the study, Phyllis Zee, chair of sleep medicine at Northwestern University, said: “The study shows the damages of exposure to lighting during sleep, as it can impair glucose regulation and metabolism.”
“It is important that people avoid or reduce the amount of exposure to light during sleep,” the researcher continued.
Zee added: “In addition to sleep, nutrition and exercise, exposure to light during the day is an important factor in supporting health, but at night even moderate light intensity can impair measures of heart and endocrine health.”
#Beware #sleeping #light #unthinkable #risks