We all know that eating a high fat diet isn’t good for our waistlines–but a surprising new study reported in the journal Endocrinology says that exposure to something at night worsens these effects even more.
The object in question? Exposure to dim light.
“Elevated nighttime light exposure is associated with symptoms of metabolic syndrome,” says the study’s researchers, who worked on behalf of Ohio State University. “In industrialized societies, high-fat diet (HFD) and exposure to light at night (LAN) often cooccur and may contribute to the increasing obesity epidemic. “
Using mice, researchers fed the rodents a high-fat diet before exposing them to dim light during the night–something they hypothesized would increase weight gain. Afterward, researchers examined how it affected their eating habits during the daytime, and their hypothesis proved true: Mice who were exposed to dim light ate more calories throughout the day.
But the reason why this change occurred isn’t due to some strange voodoo–instead, it has to do with light increasing their insulin levels. However, researchers aren’t sure.
“These results do not establish whether the change in insulin secretion is a cause or consequence of the shift in timing of food intake,” says researchers. “However, elevated insulin concentrations during the light phase may induce insulin resistance.”
Scarily enough, these results conclude that your desire to eat more isn’t simply a case of poor willpower–it may something as simple as having a night light in your room when you sleep.
How to Minimize Light Exposure
It may sound out of this world, but it’s true: Exposure to dim light during the night could tempt you to eat more calories. So how do you cut out the light for good?
“Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible,” says Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopath and founder of Mercola.com. “Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin.” Mercola recommends cutting out any sources of light in your room–including getting rid of alarm clocks or night lights, which can seep trickles of light into your room. If you need your alarm clock to help you wake up, though, there’s a simple solution for that too.
“Cover up your clock radio,” says Mercola. “All life evolved in response to predictable patterns of light and darkness, called circadian rhythms. Modern day electrical lighting has significantly betrayed your inner clock by disrupting your natural rhythms.”
If it’s impossible to eliminate all light during the evening, however, Mercola has an even simpler suggestion: Keep all light-emitting devices as far as from you as possible, especially when you go to bed. Having light near you when you sleep just won’t put you at risk for ruining your diet–it could also double your risk of insomnia, a type of sleep disorder.
Readers: Do you find it hard to stick to your diet during the day? Why or why not?
Sources:
Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep – Mercola.com
Study: Dim Light Could Encourage Obesity – EndoJournals.org
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