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Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

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Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#71

Post by joshuata »

maxander wrote: post #68
sitkack wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ikea also has a great assortment of easy to install blackout shades, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70349252/

What we ought to have is a blackout shade that will automatically roll down at night and back up in the morning, when we want sunlight to start waking us up.

I use a combination of blackout shades, Philips hue lights, and the Sleep cycle app on my phone. It starts the lights very dim and red at the beginning of a 20 minute wake up window, slowly brightens them, and then rings the alarm whenever I start rolling over. It is a little complicated, but it has worked well for a few years now.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#72

Post by joshuata »

reificator wrote: post #30
computator wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Skimming the original study, it talks about subjects opening and closing their eyes, so I would very much assume that it's entirely related to seeing light (and not about absorbing light through the face or body). If you get a sleep mask, be sure to look for one designed to not put pressure on your eyes, which are not hard to find if you seek it out. The cheap ones you get at pharmacies and dollar stores put direct p…

I just discovered sleep masks, and they've changed my life. I bought some on Amazon and got a few different kinds (from the same listing, which is frustrating). All of them have a dome that bulges out over each eye. The most comfortable one I have looks like an eye bra, but unfortunately I can't find a place to order more.

I’ve been using the wirecutter’s recommended mask for a while and it has been great. It has that same cupped shape that you describe.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#73

Post by n1000 »

tzs wrote: post #40

Sort of OT, but this reminds me of a question I've not been able to find an answer for on blue light and sleep. (OT because the article says nothing about blue light). One way light affects sleep is via the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). These are a third kind of photoreceptor in our retinas, distinct from the more well known rods and cones. These are most sensitive to blue light. They…

The f.lux website has a ‚research‘ section with plenty of reading material on the issue: https://justgetflux.com/research.html

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#74

Post by RoboTeddy »

tzs wrote: post #40

Sort of OT, but this reminds me of a question I've not been able to find an answer for on blue light and sleep. (OT because the article says nothing about blue light). One way light affects sleep is via the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). These are a third kind of photoreceptor in our retinas, distinct from the more well known rods and cones. These are most sensitive to blue light. They…

IIRC from reading papers, there seems to be a dose-response effect, both w.r.t intensity and match to peak sensitive wavelength (~465nm). Even green light has some effect.

Avoiding blue light at night after you go to sleep is definitely an under-appreciated problem, especially for folks that stay up late. If you have a habit of going to bed at 2:30am, and the sun rises at 5:30am and comes in your window, you're getting blue light during your circadian night (enough light can make it in through your eyelids to be a problem) -- this may screw up your sleep schedule.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#75

Post by Nomentatus »

tzs wrote: post #40

Sort of OT, but this reminds me of a question I've not been able to find an answer for on blue light and sleep. (OT because the article says nothing about blue light). One way light affects sleep is via the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). These are a third kind of photoreceptor in our retinas, distinct from the more well known rods and cones. These are most sensitive to blue light. They…

No. Not at all - you do want blue light in the day, that too helps keep your clock regular. (A constant morning time is crucial.) But all that won't compensate for blue light stretching into the evening.

Even way more red light at the same time as some blue light in the evening, while it helps reduce the effect of the blue, isn't fully effective.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#76

Post by nkoren »

Herodotus38 wrote: post #44

In prehistoric times, before shelter was common, would a half or full moon cause the same effect? I just wonder about how actually natural a pitch black sleep is.

I've spent prolonged periods living away from artificial light. In such situations, the lunar cycle has a profound effect on your psychology and sociology. New moons are quiet times, and wildest parties happen at full moon. Makes me think that "lunatic" is probably a very, very, very ancient concept.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#77

Post by Nomentatus »

Herodotus38 wrote: post #44

In prehistoric times, before shelter was common, would a half or full moon cause the same effect? I just wonder about how actually natural a pitch black sleep is.

iPRGCs are scattered widely across the retina - presumably for just this reason, to quickly discount light from a full moon.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#78

Post by Nomentatus »

maxander wrote: post #68
sitkack wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ikea also has a great assortment of easy to install blackout shades, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70349252/

What we ought to have is a blackout shade that will automatically roll down at night and back up in the morning, when we want sunlight to start waking us up.

Someday, most windows will have an internally plate between the glazings that is moved up at night automatically.

A Phillips light-alarm clock does the other half of the job, now, for me.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#79

Post by Nomentatus »

lkrubner wrote: post #33

Should we assume that the light itself is causing the depression? Or should we assume that the light leads to poor sleep, and then the poor sleep is what triggers the depression?

There is a mouse model as well, showing light as the cause.

Re: Sleeping in rooms with even a little light can increase risk of depression

#80

Post by Nomentatus »

WalterSear wrote: post #36
lkrubner wrote: post #33

Should we assume that the light itself is causing the depression? Or should we assume that the light leads to poor sleep, and then the poor sleep is what triggers the depression?

And how does poor sleep causing depression square with sleep deprivation alleviating it?

Good question, however a rush of steroids for one day incidentally boosting mood isn't inconsistent - it's just the body treating that day as something of an emergency situation. A swallow doesn't make a summer.
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