Did you know that a recent study showed another reason why you shouldn't be using gadgets before you sleep, especially if you are aiming for a healthy and fit body? According to the scientist behind it, the artificial light coming from gadgets and television can induce the body to gain weight in women, as reported by Body and Soul.
Given this, scientists at the National Institutes of Health advice on how important it is to sleep in complete darkness as it can reduce the risks of women to become overweight. The details of their discovery were published in JAMA Internal Medicine. They come up with this discovery after observing 43,722 women aged 35 to 74 years.
During the study, the scientists asked the participants whether or not they are fond of sleeping with a small night on, a light outside the room, a turned-on television, or without any light at all. Furthermore, several details were gathered, such as the height, weight, BMI, hip, and waist circumference of the participants. The information gathered was used five years later by the scientists behind the study to find the link between the weight of the participants and their exposure to these artificial light that comes from the gadgets we often used.
At the end of the study, the scientist found out that women who are more exposed to artificial light before they sleep are more prone to gain weight as compared to those who prefer to sleep with lights off. Experts explain this became possible due to the disrupted production of melatonin, which is an important sleep hormone. Also, with these light disrupting the sleep, the body's natural circadian rhythm is disturbed.
"Humans are genetically adapted to a natural environment consisting of sunlight during the day and darkness at night," says co-author Chandra Jackson, Ph.D., head of the NIEHS Social and Environmental Determinants of Health Equity Group. "Exposure to artificial light at night may alter hormones and other biological processes in ways that raise the risk of health conditions like obesity," the expert added.
Meanwhile, experts advise people to have at least seven hours of sleep to maximize the benefits of it. According to Very Well Health, a night of good and complete sleep can help the body be healthy by reducing stress and inflammation, helping prevent cancer, improving brain health, and reducing the risk of depression and other emotional illnesses.
