The Importance of Limiting Exposure for Tremendous Sleep

    Light exposure can disrupt the body’s natural production of the chemical compound melatonin. Melatonin is a natural hormone that is very common in mammals, its primary function is to aid in sleep and recovery. Children however have a very different anatomy than the average adult. Dr. Perri Klass, M.D. reports that in an experiment researcher fond that bright light exposure to children, age 3-5, right before bedtime suppressed melatonin production by almost 90 percent and the effects continued to persist even when the children were shifted to a different exposure room on a different day. Children have larger pupils, and their lens are a lot clearer. The lens allows light to come into the eye and trigger the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Light exposure is registered by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a small region in the hypothalamus. It is receiving signals from the eyes in the presence or absence of light thus being a major contributor of the how the body controls a normal sleep-wake cycle.

    Sleep and sleep problems are becoming a primary issue in this new modern era of children, it’s the belief of many experts in the field that exposure to light should be main concern. Dr. Klass herself preaches importance of prioritizing a dark and quiet sleep environment for children to promote healthy sleep habits. Light exposure also is hazardous to circadian rhythm development. 

    Another leader in sleep science Dr. Phyllis Zee wrote, “Circadian Disruption and Human Health” also believe that even a small amount of light is enough to trigger the body’s autonomic nervous system, which is responsible to cool down during sleep while the body moves into a parasympathetic state. However dur to this shift the nervous system becomes more alert and active. The disruption in levels of melatonin can lead to several diseases, including cancer and diabetes.  To minimize these risks, it is crucial to avoid using electronic devices before bedtime, use blackout curtains or blinds to block out light, and keep the bedroom as dark as possible. To maintain a healthy lifestyle and protect ourselves it is important to limit light exposure prior to sleeping.

Works Cited

Klass, Perri. “To Help Children Sleep, Go Dark.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 Mar. 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/05/well/family/children-sleep-light-melatonin.html?searchResultPosition=4. 

Fishbein, Anna B., et al. “Circadian Disruption and Human Health.” Journal of Clinical Investigation, vol. 131, no. 19, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1172/jci148286.