2023-09-22 17:22:55
The edition of “La nuit est belle” takes place this September 22. An event which aims to raise awareness of light pollution. On this occasion, Ouria Dkhissi-Benyahya, from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Bron, explains how light regulates our physiology.
Ouria Dkhissi-Benyahya, doctor in neuroscience atInserm de Bron, in the metropolis of Lyon, has been studying the effects of light on our bodyits impacts on our physiological functions and our rhythms.
The researcher is giving a conference on this subject in Brignais, this September 22, as part of the “La nuit est belle” event.
How does light pollution affect our body?
Light has a direct effect on our biological rhythm and our sleep rhythm. Captured by the photoreceptor cells of the retina, the light “resets” our biological clock. A central system in our brain. This is why in the morning, our vigilance is activated and our body gets going.
However, if this light is applied at night, a time when we are supposed to sleep, our clock shifts and disrupts our body.
But it also impacts our biodiversity. The example of baby sea turtles is glaring. Once out of their egg, a baby is guided by the light of the moon to go into the ocean. However, when the city lights are close, he may never find water and get lost.
So poor exposure to light can cause illness?
Light has deleterious effects depending on when it is applied. We can thus suffer from migraines, sleep and metabolism disorders. For example, being exposed to light in the evening 1 to 2 hours before bedtime is harmful. This is why we often observe sleep problems among adolescents, who are very fond of cell phones whose screens emit artificial blue light. Their cycle is disrupted.
We also note more illnesses for employees in shift work such as nurses or those who work at night because they go against the biological rhythm.
But light can also be medicine. We see this in pathologies such as depression which can be treated with light therapy.
Do public authorities take sufficient account of the impact of light on our lives?
Efforts have been made over the last ten years to reduce light intensity, stop directing light flows towards the sky or even turn off lights after a certain time. But this was first thought of for economic and not health reasons. We need to address this problem further because we still underestimate the effects of light. Some lights are useful for safety reasons, but lighting buildings or billboards at night is not at all essential.
The conference by Ouria Dkhissi-Benyahya, doctor in neuroscience, is available on YouTube.
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