Sleeping with any light in your bedroom can increase risk of depression, according to study
Surprised? Read on to find out what you can do to maintain your sleep hygiene and mental well-being.
Ever woken up feeling worse for wear after sleeping with the bedroom light on or with the TV or laptop screen still left on (let’s face it, we’ve all been there)? Well, there might be a science to that.
It turns out that even the smallest hint of light – from a small gap in the curtains to the light emitted from your smartphone – could lead to depression, a new research cautions.
Although nocturnal light has already been shown to affect your body’s sleep/wake cycles (a growing concern as more people fall asleep with their phones and tablets in bed), this new research goes further.
Published by the Nara Medical University, the team of researchers led by Dr. Kenji Obayashi recruited nearly 900 elderly Japanese who did not have any depressive symptoms or mood disorders.
They were split into two groups: one that slept in a completely dark room, and one that slept in rooms with a portable light meter attached to their bed. Over two years, they kept a sleep diary and answered questions to track their potential of developing depressive symptoms.
In the beginning, none of the participants had depressive symptoms; but those who were exposed to more than five “lux” of light at night were found to have a significantly higher risk of developing depression, as opposed to those kept in a completely dark room. Putting that into context, the average family room at night measures at about 50 lux.
It’s certainly surprising that something as seemingly innocuous and commonplace in all households can have profound impact on our mental health.
While there are now blue-light blocking sunglasses and blackout curtains you can purchase to block out light at night, the best (and most easiest) way forward to ensure that yours and your family’s bedrooms is light-free during bedtime.
Sarah Khan
Photo: Getty Images
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