Light Exposure Aids Babies' Sleep

A study investigating sleep patterns among babies found that exposure to daytime lighthelped babies sleep more soundly at night. Because daytime exposure has been found toreduce sleep disturbances for seniors, the researchers decided to test whether light exposurerelated to sleeping patterns of babies 6 to 12 weeks of age.

For the study, the researchers used light monitors that attached to strollers. The study'sresults showed that better-sleeping children were exposed to 2 times the intensity of lightbetween noon and 4 PM as the poorer sleepers. The research found no differences in exposurein the morning and evening. (The findings were reported in The Journal of SleepResearch, December 2004.)