With streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO, we can pretty much watch TV from any and everywhere. One of the most popular places to stream? In bed, of course. But, a recent study at the Northwestern School of Medicine revealed that falling asleep with the TV on could lead to an early death.
The university’s study examined the effects of ambient light on the sleeping habits and overall health on a sample of 552 individuals aged 63 to 84. The results made it abundantly clear that sleeping with any sort of light-producing screen can lead to significant health issues.
Lead researcher Phyllis Zee told CNN that “people should do their best to avoid or minimize the amount of light they are exposed to during sleep” after discovering that the participants in the study who slept under ambient light were more likely to experience hypertension, diabetes and obesity. The science behind this revelation is a result the new understanding that insulin resistance—a symptom commonly associated with Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension—was more likely to occur in individuals that slept in a room with dim light like that emitted from a television.
Zee explained that the findings of the study show that sleeping under ambient light effects glucose regulation, and the numbers don’t lie: 17.8% of the participants who slept with the TV on suffered from diabetes compared to only 9.8% in those who slept in the dark. If you’re still not convinced, the data also revealed that 40.7% of participants who slept under ambient light were obese while less than 30% of those who slept in the dark experienced issues with obesity. Even further, the study showed that dim-light sleepers were more likely to stay up later and sleep later into the day.
Even though we all love a late-night binge, science is showing that dozing under the dim-light of your favorite show might be more harmful than we once thought. Next time you curl up in bed after a long day, consider pressing pause before you hit the pillow.
It’s Personal
At NewBeauty, we get the most trusted information from the beauty authority delivered right to your inbox
Find a Doctor
Find a NewBeauty “Top Beauty Doctor” Near you
Select a state
State AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC FL GA HI IA IL IN KY LA MA MD MI MN MO NC NE NJ NV NY OH OR PA SC TN TX UT VA WA WI
Select a state
Specialty Cosmetic Dentist Dermatologist Facial Plastic Surgeon Hair Restoration Specialist Oculoplastic Surgeon Periodontist Plastic Surgeon Prosthodontist Vein Specialist
Select a state
Treatment Abdominal thread lifts Accent your Body Acne Treatments Alexandrite Laser Arm Lift Asclera Bellafill Belotero Blue Light Body Body Lift Botox Botox Browlift Brachioplasty Brazilian Butt Lift Breast Augmentation Breast Augmentation with Fat Grafting Breast Implants Breast Implants with Saline Breast Implants with Silicone Breast Lift Breast Lift with Implants Breast Reconstruction Breast Reduction Browlift Butt Enhancement Carboxytherapy Cellulite Treatment Cheek Augmentation Cheek Augmentation with Fat Grafting Cheek Implants Cheek Lift Chemical Peels Chin Augmentation CO2 lasers Cool Lipo CoolSculpting CoolTone Crowns Dental Bonding Dental Implants Dimpleplasty Diode Laser Dysport embrace Active Scar Defense Emsculpt Endermologie Endoscopic Browlift Endoscopic Facelift Endoscopic Tummy Tuck Erbium Lasers Exilis Ultra 360 Eyelift Eyelift with Fat Grafting Face Facelift Facelift with Fat Grafting FaceTite Fat Melters and Fat Reducers Fat Transfer Forma Fractional CO2 lasers Fractional Resurfacing Lasers Fractora Glycolic Peels Glytone Enhanced Brightening Cream Gum Dermabrasion Gum Lift Hair Hair Removal Hair Transplant Hair-Loss Treatment Injectables & Fillers for Cheek Augmentation Injectables & Fillers for Eyelift Injectables & Fillers for Lip Enhancement Injectables And Fillers Injectables and Fillers with Fat Grafting Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Invisalign Isolaz Juvéderm Juvéderm Volbella Juvéderm Voluma Kybella Lactic Acid Peels Laser Liposuction Lasers Lateral Tension Tummy Tuck Limited Incision Facelift Lip Enhancement Lip Enhancement with Fat Grafting Lip Implant Lip Lift Liposculpture Liposuction Liquid Facelift Long Pulsed N: Yag laser Lower Blepharoplasty Lower Body Lift Lower eyelid surgery Lower Facelift MACS Lift Mandelic Peels Microdermabrasion Microinjection Microneedling Microwave Laser Treatment Mini Tummy Tuck Mini-Facelift Mommy Makeover Nd: Yag Neck Liposuction Necklift Nonsurgical Facelift Nonsurgical Rhinoplasty Obagi Blue Peel Otoplasty Perlane Phenol Peels Photobiomodulation Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Photofacial PiQo4 Plasma Resurfacing Lasers Power Assisted Liposuction Prevelle Pulsed Dye Radiesse Radio Frequency with Microneedling Radio Frequency-Assisted Lipolysis Red Light Restylane Restylane Defyne Restylane Lyft Restylane Refyne Restylane Silk Revision Rhinoplasty Rhinoplasty Salicylic Peels SculpSure Sculptra Aesthetic Selphyl Silhouette Instalift Skin Skin Tighteners Skin Treatments Slim Lipo Smart Lipo SMAS facelift Smile Smile Makeover Smoothshapes Straightening Stretch Mark Treatments TCA Chemical Peels Teeth Whitening Thermage ThermiTight Thigh Lift Titan Tooth Contouring Traditional Facelift Tumescent Liposuction Tummy Tuck Ulthera Ultherapy Ultrasound Assisted Liposuction Umbilicoplasty Upper Blepharoplasty Upper eyelid surgery Vanquish ME VASER Lipo Vein Treatments Velashape Velasmooth Veneers Xeomin
Search