A new study hints that people living in places with night lights might face a bigger chance of getting Alzheimer’s disease compared to middle-aged people.
Scientists still scratch their heads about what causes Alzheimer’s in most folks. They observed it’s a tricky mix of how you live, your genes, and your health, plus age-related factors that ups the odds of Alzheimer’s. But experts think you can change some things that tie into your chances of getting Alzheimer’s.
These include smoking too much alcohol, not exercising enough, poor sleep, unhealthy eating, feeling alone, and not keeping the brain active.
Scientists found that bright lights at night have a bigger link to Alzheimer’s in people over 65 than other known risks. These risks include drinking too much, kidney problems feeling down, or being overweight. They shared this news on Sept 5 in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience.
The danger to brain health from nighttime light is even greater for individuals under 65. Bright nights ranked highest on the list of risks for early Alzheimer’s in this age group. Robin Voigt-Zuwala, who headed the study in Chicago, says that their research shows a link between Alzheimer’s disease rates and nighttime light exposure for people below 65 years of age.
“Light pollution at night, something we can change in our environment — might have a significant impact on increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” Voigt-Zuwala said in a statement from the university.
To carry out the research, the team examined maps showing light pollution across the 48 mainland states. They compared these to national data on Alzheimer’s disease occurrence and known risk factors for this progressive brain condition.
However, for individuals under 65 light pollution topped all other risk factors, the scientists found.
The results point to younger people possibly being sensitive to nighttime light exposure effects, though the reason stays unclear, the researchers said.
Genes that raise the chance of early-onset Alzheimer’s “have an impact on how the body reacts to biological stresses, which might explain why people are more sensitive to nighttime light exposure,” Voigt-Zuwala said. “Plus younger folks often live in cities and have lifestyles that could increase how much light they see at night.”
These findings suggest that people should think about reducing their exposure to bright lights during nighttime, the researchers advised. “You can make easy changes like using blackout curtains or sleeping with eye masks,” Voigt-Zuwala said. “This helps people who live in areas with lots of light at night.”
The scientists also highlighted the importance of indoor lighting. They recommend reducing exposure to blue light, which can disrupt your sleep patterns, and installing dimmer switches throughout your house.
Reference:
Pratt E. Higher Alzheimer’s risk in younger people linked to nightly light pollution in a new study [Internet]. Medicalnewstoday.com. Medical News Today; 2024. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/higher-alzheimers-risk-younger-people-linked-nightly-light-pollution-study
