Posted on 09/09/2024 3:15:47 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
In some places around the globe, the lights never go off. Streetlights, roadway lighting, and illuminated signs can deter crime, make roads safer, and enhance landscaping. Undisrupted light, however, comes with ecological, behavioral, and health consequences.
In the US, some states have legislation in place to reduce light pollution; however, levels of light at night remain high in many parts of the country. Now, researchers there have investigated correlations between outside nightly light pollution and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
"We show that in the US there is a positive association between AD prevalence and exposure to light at night, particularly in those under the age of 65," said Dr. Robin Voigt-Zuwala. "Nightly light pollution—a modifiable environmental factor—may be an important risk factor for AD."
Their results showed that for people aged 65 and older, AD prevalence was more strongly correlated with nightly light pollution than some other disease factors, including alcohol abuse, chronic kidney disease, depression, and obesity.
For people aged under 65, however, the researchers found that higher nighttime light intensity was associated with a greater AD prevalence than any other risk factor examined in the study. This could suggest that younger people may be particularly sensitive to the effects of light exposure at night, the researchers said.
It is unclear why younger people could be more vulnerable, but it could be due to individual differences in light sensitivity.
The researchers hope that their findings can help educate people about the potential risks of light at night. Said Voigt-Zuwala, "Easy to implement changes include using blackout curtains or sleeping with eye masks. This is useful especially for those living in areas with high light pollution."
Furthermore, light exposure inside the home could be as important as light exposure from the outside.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Can’t imagine taking the phones to sleep is healthy either.
COMPLETE BULL CRAP
IF CORRECT-—ONLY THE LARGE CITIES WOULD HAVE PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMERS
Window dressings are readily available. Next.
Or it may not.
Really?
Does everyone in Tokyo have Alzheimer’s?
I have occasional difficulty sleeping, and have available one of the well tv advertized potions. However what I have found much more effective is the simple expedient of draping an arm over my eyes. YMMV.
What about folks who work nights?
I worked nights for years and it hasn’t, um, whatever we were talking about.
Maybe places with light pollution (cities) are also places where people eat more fast food - more high-carb, high-sugar food - and walk less and suffer from more stress.
Hmmmm....
Aren’t built-ins great? And free! :)
I’ve been using a sleep mask for a long time. It helps. Walmart has sleep masks for just a few dollars.
“ ONLY THE LARGE CITIES WOULD HAVE PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER“
Check out how they vote
The constant noise and light of modern civilization is bound to have negative mental health consequences.
People that wear covid masks all day could just slip it up on their face a bit at night.
It truly helps.
Insomnia kicking pretty good lately. Need to read up on the circadian rhythm humans used to use before the advent of electric lights to chase away the nite. We used to go to sleep at dark, wake up around midnight and lounge around until about 2 or 3 then sleep some more till day break. Having accidentally broken into this schedule, it seems a lot less stressful.
I hated 12 hour nite shifts. Brutal on the body .
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