| Our readers are invited to email us with their questions!
Q: Can you sleep well with the light on? (Paula S.) Paula, as the American Medical Association points out, blue or white nighttime light suppresses melatonin release and interrupts circadian biological rhythms. Also, the dark just helps us know that it's bedtime, so keeping your lamps on does not help. That being said, there's research that supports that red light will allow you to sleep soundly, albeit not as well as straight darkness. So if you need a night light, lean toward warmer shades always. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Getting 8 straight hours of sleep Is hard for me to do. Is it okay to break my sleep into chunks? (Jeannie C.) Jeannie, the short answer is yes — but there are a few stipulations to keep in mind. The main thing to consider is that sleep comes in roughly 90 minute cycles. That’s why I tend to support push back against breaking up your sleep into two 4-hour blocks. Instead, shoot for getting 4.5 hours or 6 hours of sleep at once, and then find time during the day for a nap to top yourself off. | 
