It is known that the older we get, the earlier we wake up. The defect is a circadian rhythm that is disrupted with age, causing sleep disturbances. And it’s a fault… in our eyes! Researchers have recently shed light on the link between sleep, aging and natural light.
there the lightthe light Allows us to see… but is also a key actor in our health! Inserm researchers studied how light affects the production of melatonin (or the sleep hormone) in young and old people, with participants – ages 25 to 60 – varying in age. wavelengthwavelength Light for an hour. Results, published in Journal of Pineal ResearchShow that we don’t react to natural light the same way!
In young people, the latter stimulates melanopsin – a receptor located in the eyes that affects how light affects our production of melatonin. This receptor suppresses the production of melatonin in a natural way that helps us stay awake and alert during the day.
In the elderly, it appears that melanopsin is not involved in this melatonin suppression mechanism: S and M cones, photosensitive cells RetinaRetina no’the eyethe eye Human and thanks to which we can feel Blue lightBlue light And green, add salt to their grains, complicating the situation.
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This causes our elders to react differently to light, influencing their sleep regulation and their Circadian rhythmCircadian rhythm.
“Our results suggest that a young subject can be satisfied with exposure to light corresponding to the blue of the sky, so that their biological rhythm is well synchronized with the 24-hour day and that is sleep. nocturnalnocturnal »explains Claude Grönfier, one of the study’s authors conversation. For older people, it’s a different story. As we age, it seems that our eyes’ ability to capture blue light decreases and “what”Biological clockBiological clock And sleep is no longer satisfied with blue but must understand the light presentation the colorsthe colors Additional (in red and green wavelengths)”.
Results that may explain the sleep disorders that plague many older people. In addition, they can affect their care, especially in nursing homes where, the authors advise, residents should be exposed to natural light as much as possible!
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