How to Block Nighttime Light for Better Sleep and Heart Health

Lights Out: Plenty of us drift off at night with a streetlight glowing through the blinds or a phone lighting up the nightstand. But new research suggests even all-too-common dim light while sleeping could be bad for your heart. In a study of more than 70,000 adults, sleeping with light about as bright as a nightlight was linked to more heart problems years later. Luckily, darkening your bedroom is pretty easy.

How to Do It: The easiest solution is an eye mask because it blocks out most of the light, although a little can still slip in around the edges. So add blackout curtains to take care of any streetlight. Also, switch off the hallway light or close the door and add a draft stopper. And the notifications flashing on your phone can disrupt your sleep without ever waking you, so turn off or cover your devices before bed.

The Benefits: Over eight to 10 years, people with high nighttime light exposure had a 24% higher risk of heart attack than those with none. Shorter sleep seemed to explain part of that link, and earlier studies have tied light during sleep to depression and blood sugar problems.