Bright nights

It’s white light suppresses the amount of melatonin your body produces five times more than the orange-yellow light from other bulbs, reports a study by the University of Haifa.

Melatonin controls our biological clocks, sending us off to dreamland at a decent hour each night. The less of it we produce, the harder it is to sleep. “If we’re exposed to short-wave illumination in the late afternoon and early natural dark period of the 24-hour cycle, it will interfere with our melatonin production and secretion,” says study head Dr Abraham Haim. In other words, artificial lighting changes the natural light process, toying with melatonin production. Aside from quitting your job, the best way to get back in balance is to head outside for a dose of vitamin D, which naturally supresses melatonin, storing it for night. So try running home from work – you’ll sleep better and look better.