Exposure to light during the night is associated with potentially harmful changes in the structure and function of the heart. Previous studies had already linked greater exposure to light during the night to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but little was known about the structural and functional changes in the heart related to this exposure.
A new study, published in the journal European Heart Journal, analyzed 11,071 participants from the UK Biobank. All participants used, for seven days, a wrist accelerometer equipped with a light sensor, which allowed the measurement of light exposure.
About three years later, the participants underwent a new assessment to check for changes in the heart. The study made it possible to identify relationships between light exposure during sleep and modifications in the structure and function of the heart.
