Sleeping In Complete Darkness May Boost Heart Health, Study Suggests

Sleeping in complete darkness may improve heart health and lower cardiovascular disease risk, according to research. Here's how light exposure at night affects your sleep cycle and heart.

Sleeping with no light could possibly do more than simply help you sleep better, but could also help your heart. The new studies indicate that night lights can create a threat of cardiovascular disease, and sleeping in a dark room promotes cardiovascular health.Due to the presence of artificial lights, cell phones, television and lights on the streets, we rarely get to see darkness in our bedrooms. But now, the specialists are even more concerned that the exposure to light during the night, even in small amounts, can disrupt the natural rhythms of your body and have a detrimental impact on your cardiovascular system.

Heart Health Effects Of Light At Night

Your body has a natural 24 hour cycle referred to as the circadian rhythm. This is an internal clock that controls sleep, production of hormones, blood pressure and heart rate. Your brain secretes melatonin when you sleep in darkness, and melatonin is a hormone that not only helps you to sleep, but it is also very important in keeping your heart healthy.

Melatonin is inhibited by exposure to light at night. It has been found that a low level of melatonin results in an increase in blood pressure, inflammation, and heart stress. In the long term, these disturbances can lead to the threat of heart diseases, strokes, and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Research has determined that individuals sleeping in the presence of a television set, clear night lights, and exposure to outdoor light pollution might have an increased night heart rate and a decrease in heart rate variability, which are both indicators of poor cardiovascular health.

Relationship Between Quality Of Sleep And Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease

1. The poor quality of sleep has been already identified as a significant risk factor of cardiovascular disease. When the light exposures are going on and you are not getting a deep and restful sleep, you are in a more alert state when you are trying to sleep.
2. When you are sleeping deeply, the blood pressure automatically goes down, providing your heart with a chance to rest.
3. When light disturbs this process, it is likely that your blood pressure would be high at night time. Nighttime hypertension that is chronic is a major risk factor of heart disease.
4. Also, impaired sleep may cause insulin resistance, weight gain, and high levels of stress hormones again and all of which will put further pressure on the cardiovascular system.

Pros Of Dark Bedroom Sleeping

Just by making the sleeping space dark, it is an easy yet effective behaviour to change that would benefit the heart. The following are the advantages of sleeping in total darkness:

1. Stimulates normal melatonin.
2. Encourages longer and continuous sleep.
3. Helps in the management of blood pressure.
4. Lessens the nighttime heart work.

Overall, minor modifications like the use of blackout curtains, switching off electronics, sealing LED lights, and screen usage prior to sleeping can help. Sleeping in full darkness is not just a luxury choice, but possibly a significant life habit to keep the heart healthy.Now that studies are ongoing on the relationship between light exposure at night and the risk of cardiovascular disease, there is one thing that cannot be doubted, and it comes when your heart is healthy, and your bedroom is dark.

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