Artificial Light at Night May Lower Sleep Quality, Raise Health Risks

Turn on the lights and turn off your health, a new study reports. Researchers claim exposure to bright room lighting at night can ruin your sleep and increase risk for high blood pressure and diabetes.

The findings show the lights can suppress melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone essential for the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. Basically, without melatonin, you won’t feel as tired at bedtime.

The effect is similar to what happens if you watch television or stare at a computer screen before trying to sleep. Earlier this year the Sleep Education Blog warned readers about using an iPad to read books or surf the web before bed.

Another vital function of melatonin is to lower your blood pressure, body temperature and glucose levels. When melatonin is suppressed, the risk for conditions caused by high blood pressure and high glucose levels rises.

The study involved 116 young adults who were exposed to light for eight hours before bedtime for five days straight. Half of the participants were exposed to dim light as a control. The researchers took the subjects’ blood plasma to measure for melatonin levels.

The subjects who were exposed to bright light had shorter melatonin duration, due to suppression.

The study raises some questions about the type of environments where we spend our evening hours. The reality is that it may be difficult to avoid bright light entirely. Maybe it’s time to utilize the dimmer switch.

Dr. Oz Wrong on Melatonin Supplements

Dr. Oz is correct when he says melatonin is the most misused sleep aid in America, unfortunately he’s not helping the issue. In his latest sleep issue segment the television host called the hormone supplement “pretty effective” in regulating sleep. In actuality, there are mixed findings that melatonin supplements actually work.

Research shows up to 1 mg of melatonin may help certain people with insomnia, but the effects are relatively mild. It may help people fall asleep about seven minutes faster than normal. Melatonin wears off quickly, so people with insomnia may have difficult time staying asleep.

An AASM review found the supplement may be useful for treating jet lag, shift work or delayed sleep phase. Melatonin may help correct disrupted circadian rhythms and sleep timing issues.

Try taking melatonin a few days before and after travelling across several time zones or before shift work. There are no serious risks related to melatonin use, but the long term effects are still unknown.

Doctor Oz’s final piece of advice is a better solution for insomnia – make sure to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. If sleeplessness persists try cognitive behavioral therapy. The AASM reports it is the most effective option for treating insomnia.

Sleep-friendly software makes your computer screen easy on the eyes

A free program available for download promises to promote sleep by automatically altering your computer screen’s picture.

As recent studies indicate, bright screens found on laptops, cell phones and iPads can suppress the body’s melatonin production, potentially leading to insomnia. The hormone regulates the natural sleep-wake cycle by signaling when its time to sleep.

F.lux, available for mac and pc, promises to reduce this effect by making your computer screen by altering its color temperature to make it look like orange-colored soft indoor lighting at night. The program is fully automated based on where you live.

F.lux’s website cites several studies about lighting color and intensity and the related physiological effects. One in particular mentions how blue wavelength light reduces deep sleep. However, new research suggests green light, or even the entire spectrum may mess with melatonin functions, affecting sleep.

Because there are no peer-reviewed studies to verify whether the F.lux actually limits the insomnia-causing effects of computer screens this blogger decided to try it out.

I installed f.lux on my Macbook earlier this week. I found the dim orange nighttime look to be oddly easy to look at, maybe even reducing the eye strain associated with evening viewing. But make no mistake about it, the default settings are there for a reason. The orange look can’t compare to the bright colorful factory settings.

Does it work for the sleep? I don’t know. I had no problem getting to sleep after using my laptop, but there’s no way to know if it’s because of F.lux. I have my doubts based on the recent research about green light previously mentioned in this article.

There’s no doubt the program is a more affordable option than other products designed to cut down on blue light. The best solution is better sleep hygiene. For quality sleep turn off all electronics about a half hour before bedtime and do something relaxing, like a puzzle or light reading.

Brain trauma may disrupt melatonin production, disturb sleep

Sleep is never the same after a devastating brain injury and researchers now have a clearer idea why. People with brain injuries produce less melatonin at night and spend more time in slow wave sleep, according to a new study.

Australian researchers used a sleep lab to monitor subjects who were recovering from severe brain trauma. The findings were published in the May issue of the journal Neurology.

A small sample of 23 patients volunteered to undergo a sleep study. Each suffered a brain injury an average of 14 months before the study. Their data was measured alongside a control group of 23 healthy people.

The patients produced significantly less melatonin in the evenings compared to healthy individuals. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates tiredness by letting the brain know when it’s the evening and its time to sleep.

Sleep architecture changed after brain trauma and sleep quality rated lower. 24 percent of the experimental groups’ sleep was in the late non-REM stages known as slow wave sleep. Most people spend only about 15-20 percent of the sleep time in this deep sleep.

Those with brain injuries spent more than double the time awake after initially falling asleep. On average, they spent more than an hour awake in bed compared to 27 minutes for the healthy group.

The frequency of mental disorders including anxiety and depression was also higher, possibly due to poor sleep.

The authors of the study theorized head injuries may disrupt the brain structures that produce melatonin, causing a slew of sleep-related symptoms. They said future studies should explore the effectiveness of using melatonin supplements to compensate for the loss in production of the hormone.

Teens & Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder

Some people have a circadian clock that makes them “evening types.” These “owls” have a natural tendency to stay up late at night and sleep late in the morning.

Children tend to become night owls as teens because of a shift in the timing of their circadian clocks. This change causes them to feel sleepy later at night. As a result they also prefer to wake up later in the morning.

But as CNN reported last week, some teens may have an extreme change in the timing of their body clock. They may be unable to fall asleep until late at night or early in the morning. Then they may want to sleep until later morning or early afternoon. This problem is called delayed sleep phase disorder.



Insomnia symptoms can be severe when a person with DSP tries to go to sleep at a “normal” time. Excessive daytime sleepiness also can occur when he or she has to wake up early in the morning.

Teens with DSP can have a hard time in school. It can be difficult for them to conform to an early morning school schedule.

But there are effective treatments for DSP. It can be treated by taking melatonin in the afternoon or early evening. Another option is to use bright light therapy in the morning.

Both treatments can help “re-set” the body clock of a person with DSP. This can help normalize the timing of sleep.

“The way to treat delayed sleep phase is give light, in particular blue light like the light in the sky,” AASM member Dr. Jeffrey Durmer told CNN. “It activates a part of the eye that activates a part of the brain that keeps the circadian rhythm under control.”

DSP treatment should be supervised by a board-certified sleep specialist. It is important to determine the proper timing and dose of treatment that is required.

Get help from a board-certified sleep specialist at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Last month a study reported that teen sleep patterns may be disrupted by a lack of exposure to morning sunlight. The researchers proposed that the problem can be solved by designing better school buildings.

Read more about sleep and teens.

Sleepy Teens Need to See the Light

A new study reports that teen sleep patterns may be disrupted by a lack of exposure to morning sunlight.

The study took place at a middle school in Chapel Hill, N.C., that has good daylight design. South-facing skylights allow plenty of natural light to enter nearly all spaces of the building.

Eleven eighth-grade students wore orange goggles for a five-day school week. The goggles prevented short-wavelength, “blue” light from reaching their eyes.

This light plays an important role in helping to set the body’s circadian clock. This timing system helps regulate sleep and wakefulness.

In the evenings the researchers measured the children’s “dim light melatonin onset.” This is the time when the body produces more melatonin.

This hormone is a “darkness signal” for the body. Sleep tends to occur about two hours after melatonin onset.

Results show that melatonin onset was delayed about six minutes per day. This added up to a delay of about 30 minutes by the end of the week.

The authors report that this delay may contribute to later sleep times and shorter sleep durations in teens. Early school start times may contribute to the problem by reducing exposure to morning sunlight.

“These morning-light-deprived teenagers are going to bed later, getting less sleep and possibly under-performing on standardized tests,” lead researcher Mariana Figueiro said in a news release. “We are starting to call this the teenage night owl syndrome.”

Figueiro added that the problem can be solved by designing better school buildings. One sponsor of the study was the U.S. Green Building Council.

“The situation in schools can be changed rapidly by the conscious delivery of daylight, which is saturated with short-wavelength, or blue, light,” she said. “Delivering daylight in schools may be a simple, non-pharmacological treatment for students to help them increase sleep duration.”

Figueiro is the program director of the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. At LRC they have created a small device called a “Daysimeter.” It measures a person’s exposure to short-wavelength, blue light.

Read more about sleep and teens.

New Anti-Energy Drinks May Help you Sleep; Use May Result in an Overdose of Sleep Promoting Hormones

New melatonin-based beverages receive mixed reviews, according to the New York Daily News. They may help you sleep, but they also overload your body with hormones.

Many people who struggle to get the sleep they need look for a “quick-fix”. To them, these drinks may seem like a miracle cure.

But are they safe?

According to the article, these beverages contain between 20 to 50 times more melatonin than the amount that is naturally found in the body.

AASM member Dr. Charles Czeisler reminds consumers that melatonin is a hormone. Czeisler said, “"[Hormones] should not be put in beverages, since the amount people drink often depends on thirst and taste rather than being taken only when needed like any other drug."

While no serious side effects have been linked with the use of melatonin, these drinks should still be used with caution. Long-term effects remain unknown.

Consult a board-certified sleep expert at an AASM-accredited sleep center if you are suffering from an ongoing sleep problems.

A Melatonin Patch May Help Shift Workers Sleep During the Day

A nicotine patch is commonly used by people who want to quit smoking. A small dose of nicotine enters the blood by being absorbed through the skin.

Can this method of “transdermal delivery” be used for a sleep aid such as melatonin? A new report provides positive results from a small study.

The study involved eight people. They were given an eight-hour opportunity to sleep during the daytime. This simulated the sleep schedule of someone who performs shift work.

Some participants were given a patch with 2.1 mg of melatonin. These participants were able to sleep better during the day; their sleep was similar to natural nighttime sleep.

Melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by the brain’s pineal gland. It is considered a “darkness signal” for your body and seems to play an important role in sleep.

Melatonin is widely available in the U.S. as a nutritional supplement. When taken at the proper time, it can produce a shift in the timing of your sleep period. Melatonin can be helpful in the treatment of shift work disorder, jet lag disorder and delayed sleep phase disorder.

But melatonin does have limitations. One is the short length of its effectiveness.

“Melatonin taken orally often wears off quickly, as it is rapidly removed from the body,” study co-author Daniel Aeschbach, PhD, said in a prepared statement.

Oral melatonin supplements may help you fall asleep during the day; but it may be difficult for you to get a full seven to eight hours of sleep.

The study found that the patch elevated melatonin levels gradually; these levels remained elevated for an extended duration.

“The peak concentration occurred in the early evening, during the latter part of the bed rest,” said Aeschbach. “We know – and shift workers know - that this is a time during which it is particularly difficult to remain asleep.”

Find sleep tips for shift workers on SleepEducation.com. Get help for a sleep problem at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Melatonin Improves Sleep Problems in Children with Autism

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that melatonin supplements may be helpful for children with autism.

The small study involved 12 children between the ages of 2 and 15 years. Each child had either autistic spectrum disorder, fragile X syndrome, or both problems. The children took 3 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime for two weeks.

Results show that melatonin improved three aspects of their sleep. The children slept for an average of 21 more minutes each night. The length of time it took them to fall asleep was 28 minutes shorter. And the time of night when they fell asleep was 42 minutes earlier.

The study reports that sleep problems are common in children with autism. Senior author Beth L. Goodlin-Jones, PhD, told the AASM that these problems can affect the entire family.

“Sleep-onset problems at the beginning of the night are very troublesome for children and their families,” said Goodlin-Jones. “Sometimes children may take one to two hours to fall asleep, and often they disrupt the household during this time.”

According to the authors, other studies have suggested that children with autism or fragile X syndrome may have abnormal melatonin levels. This hormone plays an important role in regulating sleep.

The authors also report that other strategies can improve sleep problems in these children. Options include behavior therapy and good sleep hygiene.

The NINDS estimates that three to six out of every 1,000 children have autism. Males are four times more likely than females to have it. Other forms of autistic spectrum disorder include Asperger syndrome and Rett syndrome.



The NINDS also reports that children with autism have a higher risk of fragile X syndrome. This genetic condition can cause mental retardation.

Learn more about melatonin at SleepEducation.com.

Women, Shift Work and Breast Cancer

BBC News reports that some women in Denmark who developed breast cancer after years of working night shifts are receiving compensation from the government.

Is there a clear link between shift work and breast cancer?

A 2008 review found only limited evidence. Yet there was enough data to convince the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The IARC convened a working group in 2007. It was composed of 24 scientists from 10 countries. The experts reviewed all of the research.

They concluded that working night shifts is “probably carcinogenic to humans.” This means that shift work may be a factor “that can increase the risk of human cancer.”

The report was the basis for the Danish government’s compensation program. So far almost 40 women have received payment through the program.

How might night shifts promote breast cancer?

The exact mechanism is unclear. But it may be related to how shift work disrupts the “circadian rhythms” that are controlled by the body clock in your brain. This internal timing system regulates the daily cycle of various body functions.

It controls your body temperature and hormone levels. It also regulates your alertness.

One way the body promotes sleepiness is by producing more melatonin at night. This acts as a “sleep signal” for your body.

But light exposure during night shifts suppresses melatonin production and disrupts your sleep/wake cycle. These disruptions may promote the growth of cancerous tumors.

Get sleep tips for shift workers from the AASM.

Is Your Cell Phone Keeping You Awake at Night?

You may think that you can’t live without your cell phone. But maybe you’d sleep better without it.

A study from Sweden in 2008 involved 21 healthy subjects between the ages of 14 and 20. They were divided into two groups.

A control group used their cell phones for no more than five calls or text messages per day. The other group used their phones for more than 15 calls or text messages per day. One of these participants had more than 200 text messages per day. Only one of the 21 subjects turned the phone off at night.

Results show that people with excessive cell phone use had a number of sleep problems. They had irregular sleeping hours and took longer to fall asleep.

Their sleep was more agitated, and they woke up more often. It took them longer to reach the stage of deep sleep. They also had more trouble waking up in the morning and were more tired before mid-day.

In 2007 a study in the journal Sleep found that teens who use cell phones after “lights out” are more likely to be tired one year later. The odds of being “very tired” were 3.3 times higher for those who used the cell phone at any time of night.

But it’s not just the time spent on the phone that can hinder your sleep. The cell phone itself – or your exposure to its radio frequency field - may affect your sleep.

One study in 2007 involved 36 women and 35 men. They were exposed to three hours of an 884 MHz wireless signal.

After exposure it took participants longer to reach the stage of deep sleep. They also spent less time in deep sleep.

But another study in 2007 failed to find similar results. Ten subjects were exposed to a defined radiofrequency electromagnetic field. They did not find a significant effect on sleep.

Another study in 2006 exposed 55 volunteers to cell phone emissions for 30 minutes. There was no impact on melatonin production. But there may be an effect on the timing of melatonin production. The body produces more melatonin at night as a "sleep signal."

So it remains unclear how and how much cell phones may affect your sleep. But it may be best to turn your phone off and keep it out of the bedroom at night. Sleep without it, even if you can’t live without it.

Daylight Saving Time Begins: Spring Forward Before You Go to Sleep

For most of the U.S. daylight saving time has arrived again. Officially it begins late tonight at 2 a.m.

If you live in Hawaii or in most parts of Arizona, you get to ignore the time change. Your states already enjoy plenty of daylight.

For the rest of the country, the AASM recommends that you set your clocks ahead one hour in the early evening. Then go to sleep at your normal bedtime. This will help prevent the loss of an hour of sleep.

You can help your body prepare for the early bedtime by changing other routines during the day. Meal times are an important timing cue for your body. Eating lunch and dinner an hour earlier than normal may help adjust your body’s schedule.

Light is another important timing cue. Your body produces more melatonin as it gets dark at night. This signal lets your body know that it is time to sleep.

So be sure to avoid bright lights this evening and tonight. Close the curtains and dim the lights a little earlier than usual.

If the time change disrupts your sleep tonight, then take it easy tomorrow. It may take your body some time to adjust to the new schedule.

Be careful if you struggle with daytime sleepiness after the time change. Take precautions to avoid drowsy driving.