Scientists have revealed that sleeping in a dark environment is effective for preventing heart and diabetes.
Even a small amount of light can make the body “awake,” according to data from researchers from Northwestern University in Illinois. This means that their heart rate, which would normally drop at night, increases. Researchers urge people to reconsider bedroom lighting for health.
According to the data obtained by the researchers, even a small amount of light can make the body “awake”. Not blocking the light while sleeping suggests that the heart rate during sleep can rise to levels close to daytime levels. It can also affect how the body reacts to insulin the next morning.
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BRAIN AND BODY DOESN’T REST ENOUGH
The study was conducted on 20 adults, according to the Daily Mail’s report. In the study, published in the journal PNAS, researchers compared the effect of sleeping with moderate light, defined as 100 lux, to sleeping in dim light at 3 lux a night. In the experiment, 10 adults slept one night in dim light, then rested another night in medium light.
The other 10 adults slept only in dim conditions for two nights. Daniela Grimald, who took part in the study, said they discovered that people who were exposed to just 100 lux while sleeping had a higher heart rate compared to those in the dim light group. “Even if you are asleep, your autonomic nervous system is engaged. This is bad.
Usually, your heart rate is lower at night and higher during the day, along with other cardiovascular parameters. Your brain behaves like someone with light sleep and brain damage. Your body and brain are not resting as they should,” he added.
IT INCREASES INSULA RESISTANCE
But the effect of a poor night’s sleep on health is not limited to this. Researchers have also found that exposure to light while sleeping increases the body’s insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when the cells in your muscles, fat, and liver do not respond well to the sugar-regulating hormone and cannot use the glucose in your blood for energy.
In response to this resistance, the pancreas produces more insulin. This can lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, which is a risk factor for developing diabetes. Tests on participants showed that those who slept in dim light had a 4 percent reduction in insulin resistance.
For those who sleep in moderate light conditions, this value increases by 15 percent. Stating that the rule of sleeping in the dark does not cover everyone, the researchers said, “People who need some light, for example, an old person who should not fall on the ground, can use a dim light.”