Embrace the Dark - How Bedroom Light Affects Your Brain

When going to bed many of us keep a night light, leave bathroom lights on, or allow street lights to filter through our curtains. But did you know that even dim light during sleep can impact your mental well-being?

The Light-Depression Connection:

Research has revealed a surprising link between exposure to dim light at night and depression risk. Studies show that people sleeping with bedroom light levels as low as 5 lux (equivalent to a dim night light) had nearly a 30% higher risk of developing depressive symptoms compared to

those sleeping in darker environments.

Why Does This Happen?

Your brain's natural sleep-wake cycle depends on darkness. When light enters your eyes (even through closed eyelids) it disrupts this delicate system:

• Melatonin production can be suppressed up to 70% (your essential sleep hormone)
• Total sleep time decreases significantly
• Sleep efficiency drops
• REM sleep patterns are disrupted

These disruptions create a cascade effect: poor sleep quality leads to mood regulation problems, stress hormone imbalances, and altered brain activity patterns which are all contributing factors to depression. Your body essentially experiences a form of chronic light pollution that confuses its natural rhythms.

Bathroom Breaks

An additional change to consider that can make a big difference: avoid turning on bathroom lights during nighttime visits. The bright light exposure, even briefly, can:

• Reset your circadian rhythm
• Suppress melatonin production for up to 90 minutes
• Make it harder to fall back asleep

Quick Implementation:

• Flip your phone around and use the dim light from the screen rather than the bright flashlight
• Dim night light in walking areas (make sure not too bright)
• Install dimmer switches set to the lowest setting or smart bulbs
• Consider bathroom night lights with red wavelengths that minimally affect melatonin (maybe a red night light in the bathroom or a smart bulb)

Fortunately, this hack is super simple and many people don't ever consider that even a little light leaking into their bedroom could be increasing the risk of depression. Blackout curtains, removing electronics with LEDs, and covering alarm clocks can transform your sleep environment with minimal effort or cost!

Want to Learn More? Check Out:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28992236/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3047226/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5976009/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3072912/

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