Getting good quality sleep is crucial for overall good health.
When we sleep with a night light on
we don’t realize that little light has a big impact on our health, and not in a positive way either. Night lights affect our health, but how?
A night light interrupts your natural sleep cycle and produces biological changes
which can set you up for risk of various health problems.
We are also putting our children at risk when we allow them to sleep with a night light on.
The glow from your clock, light coming through the windows, your device, etc… is considered light pollution.
TV’s, devices, lit up alarm clocks, computers, and cell phones have the potential to change our hormonal rhythms.
How Do Night Lights Affect Our Health?
The light in your room when you are sleeping, prohibits your body from secreting the hormone called melatonin.
We want melatonin because it helps us sleep and it is beneficial for our health.
Light penetrates the eye lids enough to stop this vital hormone from doing it’s job.
There is a gland in your brain, the pineal gland. This is the gland that makes melatonin.
Melatonin controls the sleep / wake cycle.
Having light on in your bedroom has a strong suppressive affect on melatonin. In fact many are not aware at all how night lights affect your health when it comes to this vital hormone.
It has been said that this chronic suppression of melatonin may increase risk for cancers, diabetes, and other health problems.
Melatonin is a powerful anti-oxidant which is known to fight off cancer cells.
It is being researched how melatonin may reduce the production of estrogen in the body.
When melatonin production gets hindered, that can allow estrogen levels to rise to unhealthy levels.
This has been looked at closely with women and the soaring breast cancer rates. Something to really think about.
Cortisol is a hormone made by the adrenal glands that our body will release as a response to stress.
Cortisol helps regulate our immune system and also releases cells to help in the fight against cancer.
When you sleep, your cortisol levels rise. When you wake up in the morning, your cortisol level is at it’s highest.
Throughout the day the level of cortisol drops. Cortisol also lowers estrogen production.
Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep really throws off the balance of cortisol and melatonin levels and believed to increase cancer risk.
There is evidence that women who work the night time shift have a higher chance of getting breast cancer.
Yikes!
Spending time on your device or reading the latest E-Book, and watching tv right before bed 
is just not condusive if you want good health and quality sleep.
You don’t want continuous nights of poor quality sleep.
This is one way that night lights can ruin your health.
Scientists have been warning about using devices that emit light, in particular, “blue light”.
Lots of night lights are LED and contain a fair share of blue light.
Blue light has a short wave length and produces a higher amount of energy.
We don’t want this at bedtime. Blue light helps regulate the body’s sleep and wake cycle,
but blue light at night before bed can disrupt this cycle causing a poor night of sleep
and make you feel “drained” during the day.
Not only is blue light disruptive to good quality sleep
but it is being studied right now to see if it can cause long term damage to the eyes.
So far, it doesn’t look good.
It would be a good idea to get a blue light filter put on your devices if you must use them before bed.
It would probably be a good idea to get filters for anytime you use your computer or devices
with the rising concern regarding the long term damage blue light can do to your eyes.
What’s becoming more and more popular are blue light blocking glasses like these
people use when on their computers and other devices.
So…..What Can Be Done?
I understand that there are some situations that require a little more strategy
when it comes to “flippin off the switch”.
For instance, if you have little children,
they may not be so willing to adopt this new healthy lifestyle habit you want to start incorporating 🙂
Some things To Try:
- Some have tried using a little sound spa in their child’s room that has sound and light but goes off after a certain amount of time.
Usually by the time it goes off your little one is sleeping.
You can adjust the timer for the length off time you want it on and you can adjust the sounds as well. 🙂
- Once your little one is asleep, another good option is to put a salt lamp like this one in the hallway.
They give off a soft red glow. I use mine sometimes when we are awake for the health benefits.
Crack the door open as little as possible, the less light the better.
This is a very soft and gentle dim light and it will not disturb your little one’s sleep.
It is known to have other added benefits such as releasing small amounts of negative ions and may help in air purification.
Only use the salt lamp if you really have to, because the darker, the better. - Black out curtains like these are very helpful to get your room darker.
Some use darkening shades instead of the curtains.
Personally, I like the curtains and the shades together. - If you use an alarm clock, don’t use a digital one or one that emits light.
Always remember, sleep is huge when it comes to optimal health.
By making changes like the ones we mentioned above,
you are making “DEPOSITS” into your health and health of your children.
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All the information on wellnesstwins.com is intended to help readers learn more about health and nutrition. It is our strong recommendation that you consult with your physician before making any health changes and continue under your physicians guidance and supervision . We are not doctors. No information on this website should replace your physicians care. No information on this website is to be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any sickness. Any statements about possible health benefits by foods or supplements mentioned on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA.
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