Millions of Americans sleep in front of the television each night, but a recent study indicated that this habit might increase the risk of dying early.
Five hundred fifty-two participants between the ages of 63 and 84 participated in a study at the Northwestern University School of Medicine that examined how ambient light affected their health and sleeping patterns.
The study discovered that people who slept with even a little ambient light had a higher risk of developing diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
“People should do their best to avoid or minimize the amount of light they are exposed to during sleep,” the study’s lead researcher, Phyllis Zee, told CNN.
The study also found that participants were more likely to develop insulin resistance in the morning after spending the night in a room with low illumination, such as that produced by a TV.
According to the American Family Physician, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease are frequently linked to insulin resistance, when cells in the muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond to insulin as they should.
“We are showing a mechanism that might be fundamental to explain why this happens,” Zee explained. “We show it’s affecting your ability to regulate glucose.”
“We know late sleepers tend to also have a higher risk for cardiovascular and metabolic disorders,” Zee said.
Less than half of all individuals in the study were found to sleep for more than five hours every night in a completely dark room.
Of course, sleep specialists are warning about more than just TVs; they are also concerned about distractions from smartphones during the night.
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