An American psychologist has issued a sleep warning – saying one simple mistake that can make insomnia worse.
Robert W.B. Love graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a PhD in psychology. He is particularly interested in cognitive areas and now specialises in helping people prevent Alzheimer’s disease using science.
He claims sleep is “essential” for a healthy brain – and says there is one common error people make that can increase the risk of insomnia, a disorder that makes it hard to fall or stay asleep.
You might opt to wear sunglasses when going for a walk in the morning – or soon after you wake up – but Robert believes doing this is increasing the likelihood of getting insomnia. He explained his thinking in a TikTok video, posted on Sunday, February 23.
Robert said sleep is when you “wire up your memory”. Apparently, dozing off also helps the glymphatic system to “cleanse toxins and plaque from the brain”. He explained that the glymphatic system is “similar to the lymphatic system but it’s for the brain”.
The health expert added: “People are making a simple mistake that is increasing the risk of insomnia. It is wearing sunglasses first thing in the morning. You’ve probably heard Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford, share the importance of morning sunshine so get outside in the morning so you can get plenty of light in your eyes.
“Don’t look directly at the sun but being outside stimulates your eyes and tells your brain it’s morning and then it’s much easier to fall asleep sixteen hours later, approximately sixteen hours later.”
Robert claimed that if you wear sunglasses on your morning walk you’re decreasing the amount of sunlight that gets into your eyes and therefore this decreases the benefit of early morning sunshine or time spent outside.
He encouraged people to still wear their regular glasses and contact lenses when you’re going for a morning walk. However, removing sunglasses could be “really good for your sleep.”
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) also stresses the importance of sleep for the brain.
It highlights that without sleep, you can’t “form or maintain the pathways in your brain that let you learn and create new memories.” NINDS says that sleep is important to numerous brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other.
The institute adds: “In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep. Recent findings suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake.”
This supports Robert’s idea about the function of the glymphatic system. What’s more, vision and eye care company, All About Vision, further explained how wearing sunglasses in the morning can increase the risk of insomnia.
It says: “Light is the principal control of our day to night cycle and influences everything from metabolism to sleep. This means we need exposure to bright daytime light, especially in the morning, to help regulate the quality of our sleep.
“Wearing sunglasses throughout the day blocks that morning light exposure and can disrupt your body’s regular sleep rhythms. It’s a bit like staying in a semi-darkened room at all times. Wait until after 9 or 10 a.m. to don those shades if you want to protect your ability to sleep soundly.”
Robert’s TikTok video has garnered 18,200 views, 576 likes and several comments, at the time of writing. One user said: “Had no idea…thank you for educating us!!” and another thanked him for sharing this information.