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Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

pnas.org

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Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#101

Post by aucontraire »

jbverschoor wrote: post #69
synaesthesisx wrote: post #3

This article refers to "moderate" (100 lx) light exposure - this amounts to an overhead light on in the room for the entire duration of sleep. I would say an overhead light is a significant amount of light, but wonder how low the threshold is for sleep disruptions. Living in an urban environment, there's a non-negligible amount of ambient light that makes its way in. I don't use a set of blackout curtains, but I know…

Pilots are only allowed to stay in hotels with 100% blackout curtains

Not true that there is any sort of official rule to this effect. I've slept in a lot of crew hotels that had only semi-decent curtains.

It is true that well-behaved airlines, who take an active interest in fatigue prevention, do try to book hotel rooms with blackout curtains and good sound proofing. This is however not a universal behaviour and not all destinations where layover is necessary have any hotels with these qualities.

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#102

Post by lobocinza »

giantg2 wrote: post #4

I even hate laptop/modem/smoke detector lights.

I have RGB memory that is really bright and light the whole room when lights are off. It was cheaper than a similar non-RGB when I purchased. Guess I will put same electric tape on it as I already did with everything else.

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#103

Post by whoisburbansky »

yojo wrote: post #94
whoisburbansky wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you say the blackout curtains made a bigger difference than the sleep mask?

Not OP, but had the same experience several years ago. The answer is yes. If you want a cheap test, you can tape aluminum foil over your bedroom window(s) for a night (learned this from The Martian!). It will fully block all light, and you probably already have what you need to try it in your home. Note that it does have the downside that from the outside you look like a crazy person. I also use this trick when trave…

Huh, that's kind of wild. I'd assumed that blocking all light out at your eyes would do the same trick, I'll have to try the blackout curtains. Thanks!

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#104

Post by lm28469 »

synaesthesisx wrote: post #3

This article refers to "moderate" (100 lx) light exposure - this amounts to an overhead light on in the room for the entire duration of sleep. I would say an overhead light is a significant amount of light, but wonder how low the threshold is for sleep disruptions. Living in an urban environment, there's a non-negligible amount of ambient light that makes its way in. I don't use a set of blackout curtains, but I know…

> Living in an urban environment, there's a non-negligible amount of ambient light that makes its way in. I don't use a set of blackout curtains, but I know several friends that say it makes a real difference.

God bless Europeans and their cutting edge roll shutter technology, I can sleep in total darkness despite the street lamp 10m away from my bedroom window. And ye[, it definitely makes a difference.

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#105

Post by yojo »

whoisburbansky wrote: post #103
yojo wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not OP, but had the same experience several years ago. The answer is yes. If you want a cheap test, you can tape aluminum foil over your bedroom window(s) for a night (learned this from The Martian!). It will fully block all light, and you probably already have what you need to try it in your home. Note that it does have the downside that from the outside you look like a crazy person. I also use this trick when trave…

Huh, that's kind of wild. I'd assumed that blocking all light out at your eyes would do the same trick, I'll have to try the blackout curtains. Thanks!

I use a mask too, but it moves around when I sleep. Even properly positioned I haven’t found a mask that doesn’t leak around the edges.

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#106

Post by kps »

hackerfromthefu wrote: post #66
ad404b8a372f2b9 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use electrical tape to cover those and it's made a world of difference, it's crazy how many items have LEDs in them. Power strips, clocks, monitors, charger cables, my synth, ... My girlfriend thinks I'm nuts because I'll get up in the middle of the night to tape over previously undiscovered LEDs. What do we need all these LEDs for?!

Yeah and why isn't there a switch to keep them always off, on everything!

Because a switch costs an order of magnitude more than an LED.

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#107

Post by CppCoder »

scanny wrote: post #56
cj wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Blackout curtains are great for sleeping, but I have trouble waking up and getting out of bed when the room is still completely dark (when it’s light outside in the AM). Recently bought some Hue smart lights to simulate sunrise with blackout curtains which is helping. Next up, motorized blinds that open at a scheduled time. (#firstworldproblems)

Here in Germany they have metal shutters that vertically descend and black out all light and sound. It’s common on most windows. They are permeated with little holes that allows light and sound in if they have not fully descended. If they have then the little holes are folded shut. I’ve found the same issue where if they’re completely down waking up is hard, so I leave the top two rows of holes open to let in natural…

> They are permeated with little holes that allows light and sound in if they have not fully descended. If they have then the little holes are folded shut.

This too is a bit generalised, as ours do fully close. In fact they actually snap into place to activate a break in barrier. This makes it harder to break in, as they can not be easily pushed up or removed.

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#108

Post by Starwatcher2001 »

savant_penguin wrote: post #8
toomuchtodo wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eye mask. Try it, it is fantastic.

Could you suggest one? Maybe one that doesn't uncomfortably push your eyeballs in

I've tried probably a dozen over the years and settled on this one about a decade ago:

https://www.hibermate.com/

I've had three in that time due to accidentally leaving it in hotel rooms.

A test of a good mask is if you can see any difference with your eyes open or closed, and if you can feel your eyelashes touch anything if you open and close them. These are excellent and have a satin outer which slides around the pillow rather than coming off or moving.

They include ear pads to block out sound, but I find them a bit uncomfortable and never use them.

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#109

Post by derefr »

cj wrote: post #29
scruple wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't use a set of blackout curtains, but I know several friends that say it makes a real difference. Maybe a year ago, I was planning on having a sleep study done. At some point in my 30s I stopped feeling like I was recovering when I slept. I decided, however, that there were some things that I could work on improving before having a sleep study. Most of what I addressed falls under sleep hygiene: Blackout curt…

Blackout curtains are great for sleeping, but I have trouble waking up and getting out of bed when the room is still completely dark (when it’s light outside in the AM). Recently bought some Hue smart lights to simulate sunrise with blackout curtains which is helping. Next up, motorized blinds that open at a scheduled time. (#firstworldproblems)

I've always wondered why both "sunrise lamps" (like the one you're referring to) and "light-therapy lamps" (i.e. lamps of 10000+lm with a diffuser) exist, but there are no sunrise light-therapy lamps, which 1. go from dim to holy-wow-that's-bright on a slow timer, and 2. which are designed in a shape where you could fit them around your bed somehow. (IMHO, they'd ideally be a flat ceiling panel!)

Re: Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function

#110

Post by scruple »

whoisburbansky wrote: post #33
scruple wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't use a set of blackout curtains, but I know several friends that say it makes a real difference. Maybe a year ago, I was planning on having a sleep study done. At some point in my 30s I stopped feeling like I was recovering when I slept. I decided, however, that there were some things that I could work on improving before having a sleep study. Most of what I addressed falls under sleep hygiene: Blackout curt…

Would you say the blackout curtains made a bigger difference than the sleep mask?

Yes, definitely, but I continue to use the mask. There are times when I need the mask, because I'm napping or sleeping some place that isn't blacked out, and if I haven't worn it in a while it is very bothersome / distracting.
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