A new study suggests that sleeping in front of a television or computer screen can cause depression, because of the light during sleep.
Scientists split hamsters into two groups. One was exposed to natural cycles of light and darkness, the other to dim light at night, like city lights or the glow of a TV screen. After four weeks, the second group showed signs of depression: they lost interest in drinking sugar water.
The scientists put this down to melatonin, a hormone the brain releases in the dark. Melatonin is known to help nerve cells work well, especially in the hypothalamus, an area involved in mood. In other words, it acts against depression.
Studies in people have pointed the same way, although the evidence is less clear because there are fewer studies. Even so, doctors advise sleeping in a dark, well-ventilated room to help prevent depression.
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