Even a little light in your bedroom can disrupt your sleep.

As a child, the fear of the dark and of sleeping far from the parents at night was solved with an ajar door, a lamp or one of those colored lights that plug into an outlet. However, light has a big impact on sleep. Exposure to large amounts of light at night can disrupt sleep and compromise health, well-being and productivity. But new proposals aim to correct these patterns. Check out!

Read more: Recommendations that will improve sleep quality

How does light affect sleep?

Different types of light and exposure time have different effects on sleep. Sunlight and high-intensity white light bulbs, for example, don't interact with your metabolism in the same way. In any case, most sleep disturbances caused by light can be divided into two groups:

• Effects on melatonin;
• Circadian rhythms.

The impact of light on melatonin

Melatonin works by increasing drowsiness, easing the transition between wakefulness and sleep. The production of melatonin is dependent on the occurrence of darkness and, therefore, light can be considered the great villain of sleep.

The retina detects a decrease in natural light in the late afternoon as a trigger for the pineal gland to start producing sleep hormones. In other words, the brain knows it's time to start getting ready for sleep because it receives "signals" directly from the eyes.

Minimize the effects of light on sleep

Sleep hygiene refers to a set of techniques used before bed that promote healthier sleep, that is, it is the way you prepare for sleep. When you go to bed, start dimming the lights and exposure to electronics, for example, and avoid using them to “lull” you to sleep.

Here are some suggestions that can improve the quality of your sleep:

• Pay attention to the brightness level of the screens;
• Do some physical activity in the morning;
• Create a routine with fixed times to sleep and wake up;
• Increase light exposure in the morning;
• A while before bed, disconnect from electronic devices.