How light pollution disturbs our sleep

What is light pollution?

Have you ever heard of the term light pollution? Even if you do not know what the phenomenon is, it has a direct impact on you and your life. What's behind light smog? The permanent absence of complete darkness due to the inappropriate use of artificial light is called light pollution. The night sky is brightened by artificial light sources to such an extent that the stars are partially or completely invisible. This problem is most severe in large metropolitan areas due to the constant use of flashing billboards and illuminated tourist attractions. But even in the countryside, these days you are not safe from light pollution. Artificial light permeates all areas of our lives - right down to our well-deserved night's rest.

How is light pollution caused?

Street lighting, video walls, floodlights – large cities and industrial facilities are among the biggest sources of light pollution. We turn night into day with illuminated advertising, without being aware of the direct consequences.  The issue is that many lighting systems radiate their light upwards or to the sides without diminishing its intensity. Sometimes this happens unintentionally, but other times such radiation is intentional. Just think of building illumination or factory plant lighting. Here, building lights compete with the stars and win the battle thanks to their unnaturally strong luminosity. Above our big cities, ever larger bells of light are forming, brightening up the night sky for miles around – and we are surrounded by a literal fog of light.

Is light pollution bad?

Light pollution is a side effect of modern life - and a double-edged sword. After all, we certainly want the positive effects from the use of artificial light. Illuminating famous buildings at night not only gives tourists a magical sight. From an aesthetic point of view, a city's sea of lights delights us. In addition, the use of lights ensures greater safety in road traffic. Thanks to high beams, we can easily see other road users and are better seen ourselves, which reduces accidents.

The problem, however, is that cars and buildings are not targeted directly in terms of lighting. Their immediate surroundings are illuminated at the same time, and the upward radiation causes astronomical light pollution. Astronomers are not the only ones to criticize the fact that the number of visible stars is dwindling. Light smog has serious ecological consequences. Many animals need the natural sequence of day and night to survive. We humans disturb their biorhythms with our artificial light and interfere with their hunting or reproduction. Ultimately, we also negatively affect our own health with light pollution.

How does light pollution affect our sleep?

A love story without a happy ending: As beautiful as the lights are to look at in the evening, they also disturb our sleep. We feel the negative effects of light pollution whenever we want to retire for the night. We are surrounded by white LEDs or other artificial light with a high blue light component - with negative consequences for our biorhythm as well as our melatonin levels. This not only disturbs our sleep patterns, but also endangers our entire immune system.

Sufficient darkness is essential for us to fall asleep well. You've probably tossed and turned in your bed at some point because your partner's cell phone screen or a bright streetlight disturbed your sleep. The sleep hormone melatonin is only released when it is dark around us. If artificial light interferes with this process, our internal clock is disturbed and the time at which we fall asleep shifts further and further back. As a result, more and more people are struggling with sleep disorders. In turn, these disorders can have serious consequences for our physical and mental health. What can you do to experience pleasant nights despite light pollution?

Good sleep despite artificial light

Lights off, problem solved? The simplest way to avoid light pollution seems to be the elimination of all light sources. But this radical approach misses the reality of our lives. Surely you too have beloved rituals at night that require the use of artificial light. Maybe you like to relax with a good book, or you love to talk on the phone with your best friend in the evening. You don't have to give up a good night's sleep - it's all about finding a good balance.

Take a look around your bedroom and think about what light sources you really need. Even though beautiful lighting makes your bedroom wonderfully romantic, too many lamps are not good for your sleep quality. Blinds and curtains will help you block out the distracting light from streetlights and passing cars. If you like to use your smartphone in the evening to chat with friends or listen to music, a special blue light filter helps to dim the emitted light. And if you want complete darkness, a sleep mask is an effective way to eliminate disturbing artificial light. This way, you can fall asleep without any problems - and without any flashing or glowing lights.