My husband comes to bed much later than me. He had the annoying habit of turning on lights so he could see, which would wake me from a sound sleep, so I started turning the light off next to my side of the bed and made a wall of pillows to block the light coming from his side. It’s not really that effective so I’ve started sleeping with a pillow over my face, which has been an improvement. Then I came across a newly published study, Light at night in older age is associated with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
In a sample of older men and women ages 63 to 84, those exposed to any amount of light while sleeping at night were significantly more likely to be obese, have high blood pressure and/or diabetes compared to adults who were not exposed to any light during the night. Use of night lights, TV left on, light pollutions (e.g. street lights), blue light from smart phones, computers or other electronic devices and smart phones are linked to significantly high disease rates.
This is a bit of the chicken and the egg, which came first? Investigators don’t know if obesity, diabetes and hypertension cause people to sleep with a light on, or if the light contributed to the development of these conditions. People with these conditions may be more prone to have lights on to prevent falls, or for another reason. Being afraid of the dark isn’t just a kid issue.
Exposure to artificial light suppresses melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone, which can lead to sleeping disorders. “Melatonin’s job is to signal to the brain that it is time to get sleepy, so light exposure, particularly at night, sends the wrong signal to the brain, which can profoundly disrupt one’s ability to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep,” according to Dr. Troxel senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation.
According to Dr. Phyllis Zee, co-author of the study noted above, and chief of sleep medicine at Feinberg, the following are ways to reduce light while you sleep:
• Don’t turn lights on. If you need to have a light on (which older adults may want for safety), make it a dim light that is closer to the floor.
• Color is important. Amber or a red/orange light is less stimulating for the brain. Don’t use white or blue light and keep it far away from the sleeping person.
• Blackout shades or eye masks are good if you can’t control the outdoor light. Move your bed so the outdoor light isn’t shining on your face.
There is some data suggesting that we fall sleep quicker in a dark room and wearing an eye mask definitely helps in that regard, particularly if you are in a hospital, traveling, camping etc. Figure this could be a good solution to my “marital sleeping” issues.
If you want to make an eye mask, there are plenty of tutorials on-line. Recommend using one with a pattern though. This tutorial includes a mask pattern along with a video on how to sew it.
If you don’t sew, consider buying a sleep mask. Look for the following in a mask:
• Seek out ones with molded eye pockets to keep the fabric from sitting directly on your eyelids, which can be uncomfortable.
• The mask should wide and long enough to cover your eyes completely. Light that seeps in through the side can make it harder to fall asleep. A good mask makes you forget you are wearing it.
• Look for one that contours around the bridge of the nose and Velcro straps that can be adjusted.
• The mask needs to be thick enough to keep the light out, yet soft and light enough to not put any pressure on your eyelids.
• Padding on the sides and around the edges will provide more comfort.
• Make sure it’s washable.
• There are weighted eye masks that add lighter pressure for stress relief.
As far as recommendations on masks, the New York Times Wirecutter’s recommends: The Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask has been our top pick for more than three years. Unlike a flat sleep mask that rests directly on your eyelids, the Nidra has contoured eyecups that arch over your eyes, giving them space to move. This design makes the Nidra mask more comfortable to sleep in, especially when you’re sitting upright as you would while traveling. In our tests, its deep cups, unstructured nose gap, and wider overall design helped it create a better fit on a wider variety of faces compared with other structured masks. And its adjustable Velcro strap keeps the mask from falling off if you toss and turn or if you’re sleeping upright. Some restless sleepers and stomach-sleepers reported that the lightweight mask could get knocked off their face at some point during the night. But if the Nidra fits you, its weightless feel can make you forget you’re wearing a sleep mask as you drift off in bright rooms or fluorescent plane cabins. Sells for $18 from Amazon
If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn’t fit your face quite right, or if you’re a stomach-sleeper, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask. It lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning. Testers also liked that the Alaska Bear’s unobtrusive buckled strap didn’t snag on long hair the way a Velcro strap could. We think the Alaska Bear is a terrific eye mask for sleeping while traveling or in bed—regardless of your preferred sleep position—but we find the Nidra mask’s roomier eyecups more comfortable. Sells for $10 from Amazon
There are many types of masks so do the research before you buy. Healthline’s Trouble Sleeping? A Sleep Mask Could be a Game-Changer lists a variety of masks that might be useful for specific situations.
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