Falling asleep with the light on can increase the risk of heart disease

A study from the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute in Australia has suggested that the danger of five cardiovascular diseases are raised depending on how bright the light is.

This is because light is disruptive to a person's circadian rhythm - the body's 24-hour clock that determines when a person feels tired or alert, as well as other biological functions.

Even minor circadian disruptions have been linked to an increased threat of blood clots and elevated heart rate and blood pressure.

The experts wrote: "Individuals exposed to higher levels of personal night light had higher risks for incident coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke.
"These findings support night light exposure as an important risk factor for adverse cardiovascular health.
"Exposure to night light predicted higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, with clear close-dependent relationships for each outcome."

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