08/15/2024
Great post from Deanna Minich, PhD highlighting a recent article on the differences in bright light exposure at night for women vs men.
Women have a different intrinsic circadian response than men. For example, they tend to go to bed early and rise early.
Another difference is their responses to bright light at night. A recent clinical study showed that women had significantly increased melatonin suppression when exposed to bright light at night (400 lux, 2000 lux) compared with men. However, there wasn’t a difference between men and women under low-light conditions (200 lux and below).
So what does that mean?
Women need to tend to their exposure to light at night, perhaps even more than men, to ensure that they are not affecting their endogenous melatonin production. As women get older, their endogenous melatonin level is already significantly reduced, so lowering it even more through bright light exposure at night could have undesirable health consequences. We need melatonin to regulate many body systems, such as the immune system, reproduction, brain health, and even intracellular mitochondria.
Therefore, to keep melatonin levels healthy, reduce artificial light exposure at night, limit screen time, wear blue-light-blocking glasses, and take supplemental (plant) melatonin like Herbatonin.
