Too much light at night may quietly reshape your heart
A study of over 11,000 participants found that exposure to light at night is linked to structural and functional changes in the heart. Researchers observed increased wall thickness and reduced flexibility in heart chambers among those exposed to higher light levels.
Why it matters
This research highlights a potential, often overlooked environmental factor that may contribute to the global rise in cardiovascular disease.
A study involving more than 11,000 people has found that exposure to light at night is associated with potentially harmful changes in both the structure and function of the heart. The findings were published September 9 in the European Heart Journal .
The research was led by Professor Lu Qi of Tulane University, New Orleans, USA. He said: "Previous observational studies have linked nighttime light exposure with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but little is known about the related cardiac structure and functional changes. We carried out this research to find out what happens to the heart over time when people are exposed to too much light at nighttime."
The study included 11,071 participants from the UK Biobank. Each person wore a light sensor on their wrist for seven days, allowing researchers to measure how much light they were exposed to during the night.
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