This Habit That Millions of People Have Before Sleeping Could Increase Stroke Risk by 56%, According to Researchers - Psychologies.com
Researchers warn that a common nighttime habit could significantly increase the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular issues. Learn how light exposure during sleep affects health.
This Habit That Millions of People Have Before Sleeping Could Increase Stroke Risk by 56%, According to Researchers
Researchers are warning about this seemingly innocuous gesture that increases the risk of suffering from a stroke or other cardiovascular issues.
Do you leave a nightlight on, have your phone shining beside you, or does streetlight filter through your curtains? This little nighttime comfort could have serious consequences for your health. A study reveals that sleeping with a light source could disrupt your sleep enough to increase the risks of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke. This is an important alert to rethink our nighttime habits.
Night Light and Heart Under Pressure
Published in JAMA Network Open, this study followed nearly 89,000 adults for over nine years. All participants wore sensors recording their exposure to light during the night.
The results are striking: the more participants were exposed to light between midnight and 6 AM, the higher the risk of heart failure, heart attack, or stroke increased. Among the most exposed, the risk of heart attack or stroke rose by up to 56%.
The Culprit? Disrupted Circadian Rhythm
According to researchers, the cause of these effects is a disruption of the circadian rhythm, the biological clock that regulates wakefulness and sleep. Artificial light misleads the brain into thinking it is still daytime.
As Dr. Jeremy Slivnick, a cardiologist quoted by HuffPost, explains, this confusion can harm sleep quality, even if its duration seems sufficient. However, poor sleep is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disorders.
The Link Between Stress, Fatigue, and a Weakened Heart
Deep sleep is when the body regenerates. When it is fragmented or altered, it increases stress, anxiety, and activates the body's 'survival' system, putting the heart under strain.
Dr. Ehimen Aneni, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Yale, emphasizes that "even seven or eight hours of sleep are not enough if their quality is poor." And women seem to be even more sensitive to these disruptions than men.
Simple Actions to Limit Risks
Light sources are plentiful: streetlights, phone screens, nightlights, or televisions. Although this study does not specify their nature, it invites us to reconsider our habits before going to sleep.
Turning off screens, investing in blackout curtains, sleeping in complete darkness... These adjustments can improve sleep quality and protect heart health in the long term.