{"id":1518,"date":"2022-04-12T11:54:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T11:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/?p=1518"},"modified":"2022-05-13T21:07:32","modified_gmt":"2022-05-13T21:07:32","slug":"can-even-a-little-bit-of-light-impact-your-sleep-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleepdunwoody.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/12\/can-even-a-little-bit-of-light-impact-your-sleep-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Even a Little Bit of Light Impact Your Sleep Health?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Many Americans fall asleep with their television on, their phone buzzing on the nightstand next to them, or with no curtains to cover the glow of streetlights outside their windows. A new study<\/a> published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) suggests that even a moderate amount of light during sleep hours can have negative effects on someone\u2019s cardiovascular and metabolic health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that causes breathing to stop throughout the night, resulting in snoring, daytime sleepiness, and more. Related to light exposure at night, untreated sleep apnea has been found to have adverse effects on cardiovascular health as well, specifically heart disease. Together, these two factors can be fatal to one\u2019s health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the PNAS study, 10 young adults participated in one night of sleep in a mostly dark room, followed by one night of sleep in a room with overhead lighting, just bright enough to be able to move around the room. Another group of 10 young adults spent two nights in a row in a mostly dark room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers found that the group that slept in a room with overhead lighting had higher heart rates throughout the night and increased insulin resistance in the morning. Increased insulin resistance makes it more difficult to get blood sugar back to a normal range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study suggests that a small amount of light is enough to impact the autonomic nervous system, which is the part of the brain that controls the body\u2019s fight or flight response. During sleep, this should quiet down, allowing the heart rate to decrease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, this research found that disruptions in circadian rhythms (the body\u2019s natural sleep-wake cycle) can make it harder to regulate blood glucose levels, which can increase the risk of chronic illnesses like diabetes and other cardiometabolic problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Relationship Between Research Findings and Sleep Apnea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiometabolic problems are often linked to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea patients are 2-4 times<\/a> more likely to develop heart arrhythmias than those without it. Additionally, obstructive sleep apnea has been linked to type 2 diabetes. Data has shown that those with type 2 diabetes are 71% more likely<\/a> to have sleep apnea than those without diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Decreasing Light Exposure at Night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Light, natural or artificial, surrounds us at all times no matter the hour, but there are a few simple things you can do to make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible while you sleep:<\/p>\n\n\n\n