One Night to Improve Your Health

Light exposure during sleep causes harm to your body by the next morning.

Studies now prove that even moderate ambient light exposure during sleep may cause insulin resistance by the next morning. Insulin resistance is a factor for the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes, metabolism disorders and obesity as well as cardiovascular (heart) disease. It has also been linked to many conditions including fatigue, depression, irritability, hormone disruption (abnormal periods) and neuropathy.

As we learn more and more about insulin resistance and its link to inflammation and possibly other diseases, it is in your best interest to discourage it from developing in your body! Luckily there are many simple things you can do, starting tonight, to improve your health.

I am a big fan of adequate and quality sleep. The importance of sleep and the developing brain of children, as well as how sleep is critical for a healthy life in adults should be taken seriously. A dark, cool and quiet room is the best sleep environment for your body. This continues to be confirmed by scientific studies.

So how much is too much light? The room should be DARK, period. No ambient light has been shown to be the most beneficial. Here is a list of things to do right away to make your sleep environment darker. Most of these you can do tonight!

• Wear an eye mask
• Don’t bring your phone into your bedroom (or put it in Sleep/Airplane mode). If you must have the phone in the room for emergency reasons, place it face down, cover it or stick it in a drawer.
• If using a night light, use a dim red or orange night light
• Choose an analog alarm clock (instead of a bright digital one). Or utilize a self- dimming red and orange light digital clock.
• Close the bedroom door or make sure there are no light sources shining into the room.
• Put up blackout shades or curtains.

Sweet Dreams!