Artificial light at night isn’t just ruining your sleep; it could be endangering your heart. A new study highlights the link between nighttime light pollution and increased heart disease risk. Researchers found that higher levels of artificial light correlate with elevated brain stress activity and inflamed arteries, paving the way for serious health issues, including heart problems.
This first-of-its-kind study involved detailed PET/CT scans of patients, demonstrating that even small amounts of light at night can heighten risks. The senior author, Shady Abohashem from Massachusetts General Hospital, warns that this is a public health concern, suggesting that our modern lifestyle and sleepless habits are more hazardous than we thought.
So, what’s the fix? While cities can help by reducing excess outdoor light, we can play our part too by keeping our bedroom dark and steering clear of screens before bed. It’s clear: when it comes to lights out, a little more darkness might just help your heart. Should we all embrace the dark side for health’s sake?
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Andrew Johnson
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