Light pollution and insufficient sleep: Evidence from the United States

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to test whether light pollution is associated with lower or insufficient sleep. The American Medical Association recently issued a public notice cautioning against the effects of nighttime light on sleep quality and quantity. Light pollution, through the suprachiasmatic nucleus, disrupts circadian rhythm by reducing the secretion of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. Methods: I used 282 403 individual self-reports of sleep hours and insufficient sleep from the 2014 and 2016 metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area (MMSA) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the prevalence of insufficient sleep during 2014 in 2823 US counties from the County Health Rankings. The nighttime artificial light data are from the cloud-free Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US. Results: At the MMSA level, for a 10-unit increase in nighttime light (nW/[cm 2 sr]) the estimated decline in sleep was about 5.59 minutes per day and the odds of reporting insufficient sleep (<7 hours) increased by 13.77%. At the county-level, for a 10-unit increase in nighttime light, the prevalence of insufficient sleep increased by 2.19%. Conclusions: Although light pollution was negatively associated with sleep outcomes, the practical effect sizes were small. The small effects suggest that the effects at the population level are negligible, and the effect of nighttime light pollution is more idiosyncratic.

Light Pollution: Economic Valuation Methods and a Market Solution

“…However, he pointed out that this result should be interpreted with caution as some factors, e.g. the use of shades, which might cause individuals exposed to various levels of light pollution, and mental health were not taken into consideration [11]. Therefore, when calculating the cost of light pollution, economists had better consider the impact of light pollution on human health.…”

Facing urbanization: Hypothesizing an association between residential green and facial appearance

“…Nocturnal light pollution (which usually is higher when RG is low) is associated with harmful changes in sleep, mental health, and body weight [51][52][53]. Similarly, noise at night affects sleep negatively [54][55][56].…”

“…In contrast, plants reduce the concentration of harmful substances in the air and in turn emit substances that benefit the human immune system (as reviewed by [2,50]). Nocturnal light pollution (which usually is higher when RG is low) is associated with harmful changes in sleep, mental health, and body weight [51][52][53]. Similarly, noise at night affects sleep negatively [54][55][56].…”

Association Between Exposure to Outdoor Artificial Light at Night and Sleep Disorders Among Children in China

“…17 Previous epidemiological studies in adults suggest that the rapid growth of outdoor ALAN may be associated with a higher risk of poor sleep health. [18][19][20][21][22] However, few studies have investigated the associations between ALAN exposure and sleep health among children, and the only 2 reports are both from high-income countries. 23,24 In the first report, a cross-sectional study of 1507 adolescents (aged 9-18 years) from Germany, 23 participants residing in bright urban areas had a stronger evening-type orientation and later midpoint bedtime than those living in darker rural areas.…”