Get sleep, avoid extra weight

Katy Perry has nyctophobia — and that’s not a fear of NYC. It’s fear of the dark. The singersongwriter says she often sleeps with the lights on because “a lot of evil things go on in the dark.”

It turns out, when it comes to bedtime, a lot of things that are evil (for your health) go on in the light! When you disrupt your sleep-wake cycle — you should be awake when the sun is shining, asleep when it’s dark (emphasis on dark) — you set yourself up for depression, diabetes and an increased risk for some cancers.

If that isn’t enough reason go over to the dark side (of the bedroom), here’s another: Researchers from the National Institutes of Health say sleeping with a nightlight on or having light coming into the bedroom from another room or outdoors can pack on pounds. When they asked more than 43,000 women ages 35 to 74 about their nighttime light habits, they discovered that over the five-and-a-half years of the study, those who slept with the TV on or light in the room were 17% more likely to have gained 11 or more pounds! It seems changes to your metabolism are the cause, so that you don’t use calories or burn fat as efficiently as you should.

But, if you can’t relax enough to dive into darkness while you sleep ...

— Try 10 minutes of mindful meditation before bedtime.

— Install a dim, red-light nightlight.

— Invest in a full-coverage eye shade that creates a blackout (but you’ll know the room has light in it).

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare. com.