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Erratic Lighting and Health

TODAY, FEW PEOPLE RELY ON THE SUN TO WAKE UP – BUT THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT IN THE MORNING COULD IMPACT YOUR HEALTH.  WE’LL BRING THE ISSUE TO LIGHT ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

ACCORDING TO DAVID AVERY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, MORNING LIGHT IS YOUR BODY’S BIOLOGICAL CUE TO WAKE UP.

AVERY: THE LIGHT-DARK CYCLE HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON OUR BODY CLOCKS.  OUR BODY CLOCKS, IN TURN, HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON OUR SLEEP AND MOOD.

ERRATIC LIGHT-DARK PATTERNS MAY THEREFORE IMPAIR YOUR SLEEP AND MAKE YOU DEPRESSED. THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS CAN BE EVEN MORE EXTREME – RECENT STUDIES HAVE LINKED NIGHTTIME SHIFT WORK TO HEART DISEASE AND EVEN CANCER.

FORTUNATELY, MOST OF US CAN TAKE SIMPLE STEPS TO STABILIZE OUR BIOLOGICAL CLOCKS.  AVERY SUGGESTS GOING OUTSIDE DURING THE DAY, AVOIDING STRONG LIGHT IN THE EVENING, AND STICKING TO A REGULAR SLEEP AND WAKE SCHEDULE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Read more from the Lighting Research Center.

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