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DuKai Photographer/Moment via Getty Images
(DuKai Photographer/Moment via Getty Images)

Too much exposure to bright outdoor light at night may increase your risk of stroke, new research suggests.

The study involved more than 28,000 people living in large cities in China. Researchers found that people exposed to the highest levels of artificial outdoor light at night had a 43% higher risk of developing cerebrovascular disease compared to those exposed to the lowest levels of artificial light. did. Cerebrovascular disease includes stroke and other conditions that affect blood flow to the brain.

Previous studies have linked increased exposure to bright artificial light to the development of cardiovascular disease, a condition related to blood flow in the arteries. The researchers said their study was one of the first to investigate the relationship between nighttime light and brain health.

“Our study suggests that high levels of exposure to outdoor artificial light at night may be a risk factor for cerebrovascular disease,” study co-author Dr. Jianbing Wang said in a news release. said. Wang is a researcher in the Department of Public Health and Endocrinology at Zhejiang University School of Medicine Children’s Hospital and the National Child Health Clinical Research Center in Hangzhou, China. He said people, especially those living in urban areas, should consider reducing their exposure to protect themselves.

The study was published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.

According to the study authors, approximately 80% of the world’s population lives in light-polluted environments. Continued exposure to artificial light at night can suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. Researchers said that compared to good sleepers, poor sleepers were more likely to have poorer cardiovascular health over time.

The study involved 28,302 adults living in Ningbo, an industrial port city of more than 8.2 million people on China’s east coast. Almost 60% of participants were women, with an average age of 62 years. Among those excluded from the study were those with extreme exposure to outdoor light at night, those previously diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease, and those who developed cerebrovascular disease within 1 year of cerebrovascular disease. It included people who did. Registering now.

Analysis and follow-up were conducted from 2015 to 2021. Residential outdoor night light exposure was assessed by satellite imagery mapping light pollution. Stroke cases were confirmed by hospital medical records and death certificates.

Of the study participants, 1,278 developed cerebrovascular disease, including 777 with ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke in which a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain.

The study also looked at levels of air pollution and found that its possible effects were independent of light exposure.

People exposed to the highest levels of air pollution associated with burning gasoline, oil, diesel fuel, or wood were at greater risk of developing cerebrovascular disease compared to participants exposed to the lowest levels. Increased by 41%.

People exposed to the highest levels of air pollution from dust and smoke had a 50% increased risk of cerebrovascular disease compared to those exposed to the lowest levels.

Additionally, those who were most exposed to nitrogen oxides from automobile and power plant emissions had a 31% higher risk of cerebrovascular disease than those who were least exposed.

“While great progress has been made in reducing traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, obesity and type 2 diabetes, it is important to consider environmental factors in efforts to reduce the global burden of cardiovascular disease.” said Wang.

Because the population studied was from one city, the results may not apply to people in other communities, the authors said. Other limitations include a lack of data on indoor lighting products and blackout measures such as blackout curtains. Additionally, satellite-based products rarely capture blue light sources, which may underestimate the association between outdoor light at night and cerebrovascular disease.

“We need more effective policies and prevention strategies to reduce the burden of disease caused by environmental factors such as light and air pollution, especially for people living in the world’s most densely populated and polluted regions. We need to develop it,” Wang said.

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