Dimit

Why It’s Important to Sleep in Darkness

Jan 062012

Do you sleep in darkness or use a night light? Find out why sleeping with a night light could be hazardous to your health.

Do you feel more secure when you leave on a night light? It may be comforting to have some light in the room, but sleeping with light shining at night could be harmful to your health. How? By altering natural circadian rhythms that regulate bodily functions and help to keep cancer cells in check.

Why You Shouldn’t Use a Night Light

Researchers exposed two groups of mice to periods of light and darkness. One group of mice received twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness. The other group was exposed to twelve hours of light, but one hour of darkness was replaced with an hour of light. The results? That single hour of light, at a time the mice would normally have been in darkness, led to changes in cell division and gene expression that could increase the risk of cancer.

It’s not just mice that may suffer the health effects of light at night. Studies show that women who are exposed to light at night, by working night shifts or living in neighborhoods with lots of street lights, have a higher risk of breast cancer. This raises the concern that exposure to light at night could play a significant role in a variety of human cancers.

Why Is It Important to Sleep in Darkness?

Should You Use a Night Light?: The Bottom Line

Unless you’re terrified by the dark or at an increased risk of falling, it’s a good idea to cut off the night light and sleep in complete darkness. Even small amounts of light from cell phones, computers, and alarm clocks can shut down melatonin production. Do your health a favor and switch off the night light – for good.

References:

Journal of the National Cancer Institute online. “Light at Night, Shiftwork, and Breast Cancer Risk”

On Fitness. July/August 2010. page 10.

There are many causes for not sleeping well

Uncategorized No Responses »

Jan 062012

Every night millions of people struggle with insomnia. Maybe you’re one of them.

There are many causes for not sleeping well. An often overlooked cause of poor sleep is one’s sleeping environment.

Your sleeping environment has to do with such things as your mattress, how much darkness you have, and how much (and what kind of) noise you are exposed to.

Let’s look at each of these issues closer.

Mattress

In order to sleep well, your muscles — especially your back muscles — need to be fully relaxed. Also, pressure points from your mattress need to be minimized as much as possible to avoid discomfort or pain.

A good mattress will allow you to relax with no discomfort. On the other hand, a mattress that sags or is too hard or soft for your body can lead to restless, poor quality sleep and even back pain.

Darkness / Light

Sleeping in complete darkness is important to getting a good night’s sleep. This is because darkness or night increases the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain and controls the body’s sleep cycle. Melatonin causes a person to fall asleep quicker and sleep better.

If you are having trouble sleeping and your bedroom is not totally dark when you try to sleep, you should take steps to eliminate or, at least, reduce the light.

Noise

There are many noises that can keep us from sleeping well. Some of the offenders are a partner who snores, noise from other rooms in your house, a barking dog, loud neighbors and traffic.

The good news is you have more control than you may think over these unwanted noises. White noise machines, earplugs, soundproof windows, and indoor shutters name just a few noise solutions.

Want to know more about how to create the ideal sleeping environment? Visit my website Sleep Like The Dead to find free in-depth solutions to mattress, noise, and darkness problems.

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nick_Robinson

Sleeping in complete darkness may help prevent weight gain and depression

Uncategorized No Responses »

Jan 062012

Sleeping in complete darkness may help prevent weight gain and depression, research suggests. Over eight weeks, mice exposed to dim lighting at night—the equivalent of leaving on a television, computer, or adjacent bathroom light—gained 50 percent more weight than mice in total darkness, despite similar caloric intakes and activity levels. And hamsters subjected to nighttime light experienced a rise in depressive behaviors. The light may throw off the biological clock and increase nighttime eating, says researcher Laura Fonken, a doctoral student at Ohio State University in Columbus.

Why Sleeping in Darkness is Important to Your Health

Uncategorized 1 Response »

Dec 212011

Posted ByDr. Ben Kim

on Feb 08, 2011

Health Warnings

Natural Health Care

Female night shift workers have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than the rest of the female population. An interesting study in the December 1, 2005 issue of Cancer Research provides new information that might partly explain why this is.

Researchers found that sleeping for several hours in nighttime darkness promotes a healthy blood level of a hormone called melatonin, which can significantly suppress the growth and proliferation of breast tumours.

They also found that sleeping while exposed to light at night causes a dramatic drop in blood melatonin levels, setting the stage for growth and proliferation of breast cancer cells.

This study provides evidence that may partly explain why breast cancer is five times more common in industrialized nations compared to less developed countries. It may also explain why visually challenged people have lower rates of cancer than people who have no problems with vision.

Here are the essential details from this study:

Researchers measured tumour growth and melatonin blood levels in rats that had malignant liver cancer or human breast cancer cells that were grafted into the rats.

Tumour growth and melatonin blood levels were measured in response to introduction of blood from healthy, premenopausal female volunteers whose blood was taken:

1. During daytime

2. During nighttime

3. During nighttime following 90 minutes of exposure to white fluorescent light to their eyes

Tumours that were introduced to blood that was low in melatonin (samples taken during daytime and during nighttime following 90 minutes of light exposure) showed high proliferative activity.

Tumours that were introduced to blood that was high in melatonin (samples taken during nighttime darkness) showed a significant suppression in proliferative activity.

This brilliant study highlights the importance of getting restful sleep at night with minimal exposure to light. Doing so is essential to promoting a healthy circadian cycle, which is needed to produce an optimal amount of melatonin, as well as other hormones that are beneficial to health such as growth hormone, testosterone, and erythropoietin.

Of course, getting restful night time sleep in darkness and having a high blood level of melatonin are not the only factors that influence your overall health status and risk for developing cancer. A clean diet, peace of mind, appropriate amounts of physical activity, and an unpolluted environment are also essential requirements for your best health.

If you have family members or friends who sleep with a light on (or have their children sleep with a light on), please consider sharing this information with them