Do you sleep with a night light on? There may be harmful effects

A lit night light gives a sense of cosiness and security. However, there are several reasons why it is better to get rid of this habit.

Some people can't fall asleep unless they have complete darkness, while others don't mind a night light. And the latter, contrary to appearances, may have a bigger problem.

Sleeping with the light on is risky and does not bring anything good. This seemingly trivial detail can actually have serious consequences.

Why is having a night light on while sleeping a bad idea?

Let's start with the fact that a lamp that is on all night means additional power consumption, which is reflected in the bills. Of course, most devices of this type are energy-efficient today, so these are not large amounts, but adding up all these little things can add up to more.

It's not just about money, though. Scientists have no doubt that light negatively affects sleep quality and can contribute to the development of many serious diseases. This is proven by a study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It turns out that exposure to even moderate ambient lighting during nighttime sleep harms cardiovascular function and increases insulin resistance.

"The results of this study show that just one night of exposure to moderate room lighting during sleep can impair glucose regulation and cardiovascular function, which are risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome," says Dr Phyllis Zee, Director of Sleep Medicine in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, a Northwestern Medicine physician and senior author of the study.

The expert advises to avoid or minimise light sources during sleep. This means that we should not lie down with the TV or a night light on. It is also worth covering the windows so that we are not distracted by the light from the street. The darker, the better and the healthier.

And if we absolutely must have some light, let it be amber, red or orange. However, avoid shades of white or blue. A good idea is to use special sleep masks for the eyes and move the bed so that the light from the window does not fall on them.

"We found that your heart rate increases when you sleep in a moderately lit room," says Dr Daniela Grimaldi, a study co-author and assistant professor of neurology in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Northwestern Medicine. "Even when you're asleep, your autonomic nervous system is activated. That's bad. Typically, your heart rate, along with other cardiovascular parameters, is lower at night and higher during the day," she explains.

Scientists believe that exposure to light during sleep has negative effects, even if we have our eyes closed.

As you can see, a night light may look atmospheric, but it is simply harmful to us. Let's give it up and not accustom our children to falling asleep like this. It is healthier if the bedroom is in undisturbed darkness.