Brighter daytime light is linked to a lower dementia risk

People exposed to brighter daytime light were significantly less likely to develop dementia over eight years, with the strongest associations seen in those already at higher risk, highlighting light exposure as a promising avenue for future prevention research.

Study: Associations between wearable-device-measured daytime and nighttime light exposures and dementia risk: A prospective cohort study. Image credit: Me dia/Shutterstock.com

A large prospective study published in the journal General Psychiatry found that greater exposure to bright daytime light was associated with a lower risk of developing dementia.

Dementia is the most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide and is rapidly increasing in prevalence with the aging of the global population. With limited effective treatments, prevention is a top priority.