Sleeping With Lights On? Study Shows It Is Bad For Your Heart

17 Mar Sleeping With Lights On? Study Shows It Is Bad For Your Heart

Turn off the lights before you go to bed!

You must have heard your parents telling you this probably every night. 

But is it bad to sleep with lights on for real?

Many people have this habit of sleeping with some kind of light on. 

It might surprise you that nearly 40% of adults (particularly in urban areas) sleep with a night lamp on.

It’s either because they are too scared of the dark or simply to get rid of anxiety.

But while it may be helpful temporarily, sleeping with lights on is bad for your health in the long term.

At least, that’s what the studies say for now. 

As per a recent study, if you want to protect your health, it’s better to close the blinds and turn the lights off. 

In one sentence, the study clearly shows sleeping with lights on may harm your heart health and cause other health issues.

Well, sleep time is that part of the entire day that helps your mind and body to rejuvenate. 

However, there’s an upsurge in the trend of sleeping with lights on. 

No wonder why people these days often wake up feeling tired even after 6-7 hours of sleep. 

Our elders have always told us about the disadvantages of sleeping with lights on. 

In the same token, today, even the researchers are agreeing with it and one particular study reveals the facts of sleeping in a well-lit room.

Light Exposure and Sleep: Is It Bad To Sleep With Lights On?

Here’s a detailed analysis of the study that answers why is it bad to sleep with lights on.

Basis Of Study

In a modern world, working overtime has become a culture and late-night parties are more common. 

The same culture has also made it common to sleep with lights on.

Now, you may be thinking “I always sleep with the light on.” But ask yourself is it really something that deserves to be a part of your lifestyle?

Not really!

According to the reports of a new Northwestern Medicine study, published on March 14, 2022, sleeping with the light on is detrimental to health. 

When compared with sleeping in a room with dim light, exposure to light during nighttime sleep is found to increase the risk of heart diseases and diabetes.

Method Of Study

In the quest to find out why is it bad to sleep with lights on, participants were selected to sleep in different lights. 

To elaborate, the study measured the effect of sleeping in two different lights. 

Over a single night, participants were sleeping with 100Lux, i.e., moderate light and 3 Lux, i.e., dim light. 

Although the participants in the study couldn’t really witness the biological changes, the brain senses it. 

It was hence found that the sleep physiology was quite not resting the way it was supposed to. 

Results Of The Study

After analyzing the research, the following results were extracted.

• Sleeping in a room with lights on increases the heart rate, and the body can’t relax properly. 
• Insulin resistance was found the next morning after people slept in the room with light.
• The body went into a higher alert state. 

This certainly sums up why is it bad to sleep with your lights on.

Key Inferences From The Study

Further analysis of the study shows how bad it is to sleep with lights on. 

• The autonomic nervous system was activated during sleep. This is a bad sign. It creates hindrances for the parasympathetic nervous system to take charge of the body at night.
• Insulin resistance increases the risk of diabetes and obesity as well. 
• The alert mode of the body further accelerates the heart rate. Adding to it, it also affects the force with which the blood flows and heart contracts.

Thus, it’s always better to nap when the lights are out.

But if you’re still stressing over “why can’t I sleep without a light on”, it could be due to fear or anxiety due to the dark.

In general, if you’re able to find a solution to the anxiety, it would be much better in the long run than sleeping in a well-lit room.

Well, you have your answer now. 

The bad news is most of the urban population is affected by this sleeping habit. 

This also answers why most heart disease and diabetes cases are soaring high in the cities, especially among young adults.

Moreover, does sleeping in lighting affect growth?

Yes, lack of sleep affects your brain health, keeps you stressed, and affects your diet as well. This, on a whole, affects your overall growth.

So, creating a sleep debt is not something recommended to people of any group. And sleeping with lights on during nighttime is not of any help.

With this in mind, the next segment describes how to practice sleep with lights off. 

How to Sleep With Lights Off?

Do you often wake up with a heavy head and cranky mood? It may be because of the night light. 

If you’re in the habit of sleeping with your lights on, you can switch to different lights. 

That is to say, although even moderate light can affect your sleep, the light color also has some significance. 

So, is it ok to sleep with red light on?

Not entirely, but it somehow seems to have fewer ill effects as compared to the other lights.

However, it is recommended to entirely give up your habit of sleeping with lights on.

Here are some of the ways to get over it and maintain healthy napping habits.

#1. A Sleep Routine Might Help

Maintain a sleeping routine. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time. This will help your body get into sleep mode as soon as your sleeping time starts ticking. This will help you sleep better without lights on.

#2. Workout Before Sleep 

Do at least 20-30 minutes of exercise or yoga before going to bed. 

Working out before bed is a great way to relax your mind, but don’t indulge in a full-blown workout. Doing simple breathing exercises helps release stress, calms the mind, release tension from the body, and relaxes the muscles.

#3. Avoid Drinking

It’s a simple yet effective way to practice sleeping without the lights on. You may pass off when you drink, but sleep is a completely different thing.

Adding to it, it is also recommended to avoid taking tea and coffee before going to bed.

#4. Take A Warm Bath To Relax

If you have been through a hard day, you can do something to relax before going to bed. 

A relaxed mind and body can help you dive deep into the ocean of sleep. You can try to take a warm bath, try reading a novel, or simply spend some time alone under the stars. 

#5. Maintain Room Temperature

Temperature also matters a lot when it comes to getting sound sleep. Keep the temperature of your bedroom at medium; neither too hot nor too cold. 

A comfortable temperature will help you sleep soon. It will help get your body into relaxed mode, and you’ll develop the habit of sleeping without the lights on. 

#6. Disconnect Yourself From Electronic Devices

One of the major reasons why people can’t sleep with lights off is because of their habit to scroll until their eyes are tired.

The habit of working late at night and scrolling social media only hampers the sleep cycle. Try disconnecting yourself at least 30 minutes before hitting the bed.

Practicing these tips before going to bed will certainly help you develop the habit of sleeping without lights on. 

If you are wondering why you should make so much effort, the answer is not only the health issues but also the benefits. 

Yes, you read that right!

Sleeping with your lights off comes with its own benefits. 

Let’s find out some of the benefits of sleeping with lights off.

Benefits Of Sleeping With Lights Off

There are many benefits of sleeping with the lights off. Some of them are mentioned below:

• Complete darkness accelerates the production of melatonin. This hormone helps fall asleep easily. 
• One of the primary benefits of sleeping with lights off is it keeps the excess body weight at bay. 
• Sleeping in the dark also provides complete rest to your eyes. 
• Nighttime sleep with lights off can also keep your sugar levels low. 
• Darkness during your sleep time has the ability to calm your mind and reduce the risk of depression. 

These are the reasons why it is bad to sleep with the lights on. You can start practicing these ways to sleep with your lights off and keep a check on your health.

Final Verdict

So, now you know why it is bad to sleep with lights on in your bedroom?

Yes, the new Northwestern Medicine study has clearly stated the health effects of sleeping with lights on. 

The study demonstrated that nighttime sleep with lights on affects heart health and also induces insulin levels.

Considering how common it is to sleep in light for many people, this habit certainly needs to change. 

Hence, people need to adopt certain healthy nighttime habits and start sleeping in either dim red lights placed outside the room or sleep in a completely dark room. 

If in any way you find this blog useful, don’t forget to share your views in the comments section down below. 

Also, you can share some of your tips and tricks to induce sleep with lights off.

Study Source: Moderate Light Exposure during sleep may harm your health