Sleeping With a Light or TV On After 60: What One Study Linked It To

Light at night has been linked to health problems and metabolic risk factors.¹ A U.S. study looked at how often older adults are exposed to it and what else goes along with it.

What the study did

552 adults aged 63 to 84 wore a wrist device for a week that tracked both activity and light.¹ Researchers checked whether there was any light during the darkest five hours of each person’s night.¹

What it found

After accounting for age, sex, race, season and sleep habits, people with light during that darkest stretch were more likely to have:¹

Condition	Odds compared with no light
Obesity	About 1.8 times
Diabetes	About 2 times
High blood pressure	About 1.7 times
High cholesterol	No significant link

They also had more time awake after falling asleep and less regular daily rhythms.¹

What it can’t tell you

This study measured everything at the same time, so it can’t show that light causes these conditions.¹ People with health problems might sleep differently or leave lights on for other reasons. The authors called for more research on long-term effects.¹

Low-cost steps worth trying

• Turn off the TV before sleep, or use a sleep timer.
• Block outside light with curtains or an eye mask if streetlights shine in.
• Keep night-lights dim and low, just enough for a safe walk to the bathroom.
• Don’t trade darkness for safety. If you get up at night, a dim path matters. See waking at night to pee.

Our guides to blue-light glasses, white noise and earplugs and short sleep and dementia risk cover other bedroom changes.

Try: “I fall asleep with the TV on most nights and I have high blood pressure. Is it worth changing, and what’s a safe setup for nighttime bathroom trips?”

Did I Do That in My Sleep¹? includes a 14-Night Lights-Out Record and a Visit Brief. Use them to note what’s on in your bedroom at night and how you sleep after changing it. See the book.