Light Pollution Impacts Planet

Have you ever had a bird fly into your window? You hear the thud, you see the bird and are filled with dread, wondering if it will just be stunned or die. You may think this is due to the reflection the bird sees. But is it more?

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Did you know One third of the world's population can't see the starry band of light in the night sky that makes up the Milky way?

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A study published in 2021 found that the light pollution has increased by at least half over just in the past of 25 years.

A bird or any wildlife for that matter that lives near large cities are plagued with light pollution, Ever tried sleeping with a blinding light in your room? We know from medical research that sleeping in a dark room is the best way for your body to get the rest it needs.

Circadian rhythm is an internal clock that governs our bodies. It signals when to feel awake and when to feel tired. Light represents the biggest external obstacle between being awake and falling asleep; when exposed to it at the wrong times – like before bed – it can disrupt circadian rhythm.

In 2022, sleep researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine found that exposure to even small amounts of ambient light during the night can harm cardiovascular function while sleeping and increase insulin resistance the next morning. The study demonstrated that even a single night of exposure to moderate room lighting while asleep can impair glucose and cardiovascular regulation, which are risk factors for the following conditions:

Diabetes
Heart disease
Metabolic syndrome
Obesity

Darkness stimulates the pineal gland located deep in the brain to produce melatonin, which is a serotonin-derived hormone that promotes sleepiness

Light exposure inhibits that process, thus blocking melatonin production and providing another barrier between us and sound sleep

I find all this so interesting because I've never been a good sleeper and I actually fall asleep a LOT watching Netflix. (Yikes) For me, it seems like the distraction of something else, keeps my brain from thinking all night and alllows it to be somewhat distracted so I can actually fall asleep.

Why Sleep Hygiene is important

But, after doing this research and reading these articles, I'm convinced more than ever to change that habit.

My point in all this wasn't necessarily the health benefits to us humans, My first thought was how we as humans affect the eco system and wildlife without really understanding the impact we make on this planet. We as humans just go through our busy lives and think about our day to day and rarely have much realization of what we are doing to our planet and the other beings in it.