ArcaMax

"To sleep, perchance to dream." Wouldn't that be lovely? Unfortunately, about half of you -- 55% of women and 46% of men -- say you're light sleepers. Well, light sleeping problems, such as waking up many times a night, may be precisely that: sleep disturbances caused by excess light in your bedroom.

If you're one of the 70% of people with trouble sleeping who are "desperate to find a solution," research published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) may be able to shine a light on a solution for you. You need a darker bedroom at night.

Nighttime light disturbs your circadian rhythm, increases your heart rate, reduces REM and slow-wave sleep (needed for processing learning and motor skills and memory consolidation), and it boosts insulin resistance. That throws your immune system, gut biome and metabolic processes out of whack -- never good for restful sleep.

But a dark-enough bedroom can be a challenge if you live in an urban area where nighttime light is relentless, sleep with a night light or fall asleep with a bedside light or TV on, as 40% of folks do. The smart steps: If there is light in the room, from a night light, clock, etc., it should only emit red light (no white or blue); have the room dark enough so it isn't easy to see objects distinctly; and use and eye mask and blackout shades on windows if it's difficult to block out enough light.

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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.

(c)2022 Michael Roizen, M.D.

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