More exposure to light at night, between 12:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., is linked to a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News
Want to reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes? Avoid bright light at night, a recent study suggests.
More exposure to light at night, between 12:30 a.m. and 6 a.m., is linked to a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, researchers found.
That's likely because light affects sleep patterns, which are important for maintaining healthy insulin sensitivity and stable blood sugar levels, researchers said.
"Light exposure at night can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to changes in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism," senior researcher Andrew Phillips, an associate professor of medicine and public health at Flinders University in Australia, said in a news release.
Related
- Cortisol appears to play role in tough-to-treat diabetes
- Study: Parents-to-be using diabetes drug metformin doesn't increase birth defect risk
- Exercise in the evening may be best to control blood sugar
"Changes in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism caused by disrupted circadian rhythms affect the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels, which can ultimately lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes," he continued.
For the study, researchers analyzed data from about 85,000 healthy people without diabetes.
The participants wore devices on their wrist for one week that tracked their light exposure levels day and night, collecting about 13 million hours of light sensor data.
The team then tracked the participants for nine years to see whether they went on to develop Type 2 diabetes.
They found a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes for people exposed to light at night, even after accounting for other factors like lifestyle, sleep patterns, shift work, diet and mental health.
What's more, the effect was dose-dependent -- higher levels of brighter light caused diabetes risk to increase more.
"Our findings suggest that reducing your light exposure at night and maintaining a dark environment may be an easy and cheap way to prevent or delay the development of diabetes," Phillips said.
The new study was recently published in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe.
More information
The National Institutes of Health has more on sleep and diabetes risk.
Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Health News // 13 hours agoStaying fit may decrease men's risk of ALS Staying fit and getting moderate levels of exercise may lower men's chances for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in later life, new research shows.
Health News // 14 hours ago'Magic mushrooms' most popular hallucinogen in United States The popularity of psychedelic mushrooms now far outpaces that of other mind-altering drugs such as ecstasy (MDMA), according to a new report.
Health News // 14 hours agoMigraine med might stop 'rebound' headaches as well New research suggests that a medication commonly used to prevent migraines may also help fend off rebound headaches.
Health News // 1 day agoMeat alternatives might be healthier for heart than meat Even though plant-based meat alternatives are ultra-processed, they still may be healthier for your heart than traditional meat is, a new review finds.
Health News // 1 day agoStudy warns of drug-resistant fungi found in compost, soil, flower bulbs A tough-to-treat, drug-resistant fungal infection may be as close as your local garden center, new research shows.
Health News // 1 day agoStudy recommends testing for COVID-19 two days after symptoms The COVID-19 virus, or rather people's immune response to it, has changed and it might be prudent to wait a couple days after symptoms start before taking a COVID test, researchers report.
Health News // 1 day agoCortisol appears to play role in tough-to-treat diabetes About 1 in 4 people (24%) with tough-to-treat Type 2 diabetes have elevated cortisol levels, researchers found.
Health News // 1 day agoObesity may be more harmful in children born underweight Low-birth-weight newborns have a higher risk of health complications if they become obese as children, a new study has found. Health News // 1 day agoMom's smartphone use might affect baby's language development Mothers tend to speak less to infants when they're on their smartphones, a new study finds.
Health News // 2 days agoCDC warns of increased dengue fever risk in U.S. as worldwide cases soar June 25 (UPI) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory Tuesday, warning of increased dengue fever risk in the United States as cases of the mosquito-borne virus hit record numbers around the world.
