Sleep is integral to our health and wellbeing, and easily affected by light exposure. New research shows a surprising cost of this light exposure at night.

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Sleep & Light Exposure: Key Take-Away Points

  • Light affects our circadian rhythm, our natural, internal clocks that help us feel awake or sleepy.
    • Disruptions to circadian rhythm can negatively impact our sleep quality.
    • We can use sunlight strategically to help us feel awake (first thing in the morning) and sleepy at night (as the sun sets).
    • It’s important to decrease our light exposure when sleeping.
  • A recent study showed that exposure to light while sleeping increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.[1]
    • Study used light sensors to detect true levels of light exposure over the course of one week (13 million hours of data!).
    • Those exposed to brighter light at night were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes over the following years.
    • Researchers concluded that avoiding light at night is a simple, inexpensive way to decrease the risk of diabetes, even in those with high genetic risk.

**To boost sleep quality and protect your health, eliminate all sources of light at night.**

Helpful Links

Strategic Sunlight Exposure: Using Natural Light To Boost Well-Being

A Two-Pronged Approach to Sleep: Encourage Restfulness and Discourage Wakefulness

Published Research Article

Small Changes, Big Transformation

Decreasing exposure to light at night is one small change we can make to prioritize our health and build resilience. Wellness doesn’t have to feel so overwhelming. Give this practice a try this week and let me know how it goes!

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[1] Windred, D. P., Burns, A. C., Rutter, M. K., Yeung, C. H. C., Lane, J. M., Xiao, Q., … & Phillips, A. J. (2024). Personal light exposure patterns and incidence of type 2 diabetes: analysis of 13 million hours of light sensor data and 670,000 person-years of prospective observation. The Lancet Regional Health–Europe.