Bright Lights at Night May Increase Your Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

Too much light pollution at night may increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

In a new study, researchers compared outdoor light intensity in 48 states with Alzheimer’s rates and risk factors. In people 65+, light pollution was more strongly linked to the brain disorder than alcohol abuse, kidney disease, depression and obesity. Only high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke were associated with more cases.

In people under 65, excessive artificial light was found to be the top risk factor for early-onset Alzheimer’s.

The researchers say it’s not clear why younger people might be particularly sensitive to the effects of light pollution.

One author says given these findings people may want to limit their exposure to bright lights at night.  She says, “Easy-to-implement changes include using blackout curtains or sleeping with eye masks.”

The researchers say lowering indoor exposure may be just as important and suggest limiting blue light and installing dimmers in your home.

Source: Frontiers in Neuroscience

Author Affiliations: Rush University Medical Center