Sleeplessness

Q: My husband and I disagree about whether to keep a small night-light on at night. He read that it can impact sleep quality, but I like to have it on in case I get up to use the bathroom. Can you settle this?

A: Your husband has a good point. Before artificial lighting, humans were going to sleep when the sun set, keeping the body’s 24-hour sleep/wake cycle on track. Now we have the option to switch on lamps at night and watch TV or use electronic devices before bed, all of which mimic sunlight and suppress secretion of sleep-inducing melatonin. And while the light emitted by a night-light won’t have much impact, if your husband is concerned, consider replacing the bulb in your night-light with a red spectrum bulb.

These bulbs don’t emit sleepdisrupting blue light, so they’re the best for nighttime. In fact, it’s possible red bulbs may actually help kick-start your body’s melatonin production, helping you fall asleep faster. An inexpensive one to try: Sunlite Night Light Bulb 4-pack in red, $5, Amazon.com.

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The hot-air hand dryers found in many restrooms do spread more bacteria than drying your hands with a paper towel. A study from the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University found that the dryers pull in bacteria-laden bathroom air and deposit it on your hands as you dry them. The good news, however, is that the risk of catching a serious illness from using these dryers is small, since most of the bacteria detected isn’t shown to make a healthy person sick.

Still, I advise using paper towels to dry your hands if it’s an option— they work faster and remove more germs after washing. Plus, you can use them to cover the door handle, so you don’t pick up any more germs on your way out of the restroom. And when an air dryer is your only option, consider following up with a hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol.

My sister told me the air dryers in public bathrooms blow around germs and can make us sick. Is this true?