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The Harmful Effects of Dim Light During Sleep: How An Eye Mask Can Help

Researchers said that the dim light that makes its way to the retina during sleep can have negative effects that are harmful to brain health.

A newspaper report noted,Washington Post“The bedroom may not be as dark as it should be, so the light from the TV, hallway, etc. may be able to reach your eyes and have profound physiological effects, perhaps including an increased heart rate.

Exposure to light at night in elderly people is also linked to increased rates of obesity and diabetes, according to the newspaper, which talked about a simple solution to this problem that is sold for a small price, which is an eye mask.

Viviana Greco, a neuroscience specialist who currently works for the non-profit organization Neuronatch, conducted a study on the subject, and said that wearing an eye mask while sleeping “is pivotal and can have many benefits.”

For her part, Phyllis Zee, a neurologist at Northwestern University’s Vainerg School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, said, “Light at night tells the brain that there is danger, because the brain does not expect it,” noting that this light “may cause the activation of the brain’s system.” “fight or flight” is an involuntary response in the brain, making it difficult to get deep sleep.”

She explained that because many people work in closed spaces, they are not exposed to much bright light during the day, which makes the person more sensitive to light at night.

A study published in “Sleep” magazine also revealed that wearing an eye mask at night “can improve memory and the process of waking up in the morning.”

During the study, 89 participants between the ages of 18 and 35 slept using an eye mask for two consecutive weeks in the summer, when the sun rose as early as 5 am.

For a week, they wore an eye mask that blocks light, while in the second week they wore a mask with holes in the eyes, allowing light to enter.

Participants went to bed each night at the same time, with their room curtains open, and were prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages and strenuous exercise. Most importantly, none of them had ever slept with an eye mask before.

Tests revealed that wearing an eye mask improves memory.

Zee pointed out that the study greatly demonstrates the effect of light on sleep, adding that an eye mask “is necessary for those who are unable to sleep in a dark environment,” such as when there are children, night lights, or street lighting.

The Washington Post report advised regulating the issue of not being exposed to light during sleep, by choosing a suitable and comfortable eye mask, in addition to turning off the lights in the bedroom and staying away from electronic devices, and trying to change the curtains in the house to be dark so that they prevent the entry of light significantly, in addition to getting as much as possible. Possible light during the day.

2024-01-19 07:33:37

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