Do you sleep with any lights on? Watch out! It can be bad for your heart – Metro World News Brasil

For a healthy night’s sleep, it is necessary that some rituals are followed, such as having a daily routine with the same bedtime and waking up time, avoiding eating food close to bedtime and not exposing yourself to cell phone light when in bed. . But beyond that, research says that light is much more harmful to sleep than you might think.

The study pointed out in that text says that light exposure during sleep, even moderate, increases the risk of heart disease and insulin resistance. Therefore, closing the blinds, turning off the lamps, cell phone and television at bedtime avoids further complications.

“A single night of moderate exposure to ambient lighting during sleep can impair glucose regulation and the cardiovascular system, which are risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome,” says lead author Phyllis Zee of Northwestern University, United States.

READ TOO: Bye, insomnia! Tiktoker teaches easy 10-minute sleep tea recipe

Daniela Grimaldi, another author of the study, also says that sleeping in a moderately lit room at night as opposed to sleeping in a totally dark room activates the autonomic nervous system, which is a bad thing, as normally heart rate and other cardiovascular parameters are higher. low at night and higher during the day.

Insulin resistance occurs when muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond well to insulin and cannot use blood glucose for energy. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, and over time, the blood sugar level rises.

There is evidence that exposure to light during the day increases the heart rate by activating the sympathetic nervous system, putting the heart in motion and increasing alertness to face the challenges of the day. “Our results indicate that a similar effect also occurs when light exposure occurs during nighttime sleep,” says Zee.

The authors therefore recommend not leaving the light on at night, but if necessary, in the case of elderly people for safety reasons, for example, it is better to leave it dim near the floor and opt for an amber or red/orange color. , which is less stimulating to the brain than white or blue.

READ MORE:

⋅ The best foods for your brain health

⋅ 6 common foods that help you have healthy skin

⋅ 4 drinks to naturally lower blood sugar