A star-filled night sky has long inspired wonder and connection, yet in just one generation, much of this natural nighttime environment has been lost due to the widespread use of artificial lighting, particularly blue-rich light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Excessive light at night has been linked to negative effects on human health, including suppressed melatonin production, disrupted sleep, and increased susceptibility to illness. Light pollution also affects nonhuman species and the broader environment, demonstrating that maintaining natural darkness is crucial for ecological, public, and personal health (Motta, 2024).
Citation:
Motta, M. E. (2024). We’re All Healthier Under a Starry Sky. AMA Journal of Ethics®, 26(10),
E804–E810.
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/were-all-healthier-under-starry-sky/2024-10