Survive a Hospital Stay (Ask For THIS)

Hospitals are where we’re supposed to go to get well…

But let’s face it – for lots of folks, it doesn’t shake out that way.

Did you know that nearly 100,000 Americans die each year from infections acquired at hospitals or other health care settings?

And that statistic comes right from our own government.

But there’s another risk that comes with your hospital stay… and it could leave you with a life-changing injury or worse.

Fixing the problem can be remarkably easy…

But you’re going to have to demand it.

I once threatened to check myself out of a hospital if I couldn’t get daily sun exposure.

And I wasn’t joking.

Baking under fluorescent lighting in hospitals is one of the worst things you can do for your health.

It completely disrupts your circadian rhythm, your body’s natural sleep/wake cycle. That can leave you sleeping poorly, exhausted, and more prone to falls.

Up to a million patient falls happen at U.S. hospitals every year. That could leave you in worse shape than when you came in… or it could be deadly.

So what’s the solution?

Well, Japanese researchers recently experimented with installing special circadian lighting in a hospital ward. Circadian lighting is a lighting system that changes brightness and color temperature throughout the day to mimic natural sunlight.

And that ONE change was all it took to cut the number of falls in HALF!

Now some American hospitals have been experimenting with circadian lighting. But it’s still not common – especially in older hospitals.

If you have a planned hospital stay coming up and have a choice of hospitals, it’s definitely worth asking about.

But whenever you’re in a hospital, it’s important to ask for daily sun exposure. Advocate for yourself or having someone else advocating for you.

It really is essential for your recovery… and your safety.

View Sources

Morgan DJ, Lomotan LL, Agnes K, McGrail L, Roghmann MC. Characteristics of healthcare-associated infections contributing to unexpected in-hospital deaths. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2010 Aug;31(8):864-6. doi: 10.1086/655018. PMID: 20569114; PMCID: PMC3528178.

 

Okinami, T., Suzuki, T., Nishikawa, N., & Negoro, H. (2025). Circadian Lighting Was Associated with a Reduction in the Number of Hospitalized Patients Experiencing Falls: A Retrospective Observational Study. Healthcare, 13(14), 1692. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13141692