2023-06-19 03:35:08
According to the latest studies on the subject, artificial light has even more harmful effects on our health than we think. Ultimately, excessive exposure can lead to an increased risk of insomnia, stress, diabetes, obesity or even cancer.
Whether it’s the artificial light present in urban centers (shops, billboards, public lighting, etc.) or blue light that we are confronted with daily at work and at home (computer screens, television screens, tablets, telephones, etc.), light pollution is everywhere. But it is not without effects either on the health flora and fauna or that of humans. As reported Release, several experts have recently reviewed the latest scientific studies on the subject. They published the results of their research in the magazine Science, this Thursday, June 15. And they are rather alarming.
Indeed, according to these specialists, artificial light can disrupt our body and our circadian rhythm in particular by causing changes in the metabolism of our cells. Starting with increasing the production of cortisol, which is none other than the hormones you stress. Conversely, the production of melatoninknown to be sleep hormone, will decrease, or even completely stop, thus causing us sleep disorders, insomnia and, in the longer term, a total disruption of our internal clock. And for good reason, when we use screens, especially in the evening, our body will perceive the situation as an extension of the day and as a postponement of the arrival of the night schedule.
Risks of cancer and obesity
But the decrease in our production of melatonin can have other harmful consequences on our body. As reminded Releasesince this hormone also plays a role in the regulation of several organs and various functions of our body, such as hunger and thirst, insufficient secretion can cause an increase in obesity riskstype 2 diabetes and certain cardiovascular diseases. It can also lead to digestive disorders and an increase in the rate of cholesterolbut also affect the functioning of the thyroidof pancreasof the ovariesof the testicles as well as adrenal glands.
Furthermore, several studies “show that exposure to outdoor light at night with light rich in the blue spectrum is associated with an increased risk of breast, prostate and colon cancer. Future empirical studies of the physiological and health effects of nighttime outdoor lighting should incorporate these considerations,” the authors said in the review. Science. For them, it is therefore imperative to better fight once morest light pollution “for the benefit of human health, society and the human environment”. In their view, this must go through effective research work, which might make people react and orient public policies in this direction.
Read also:
⋙ 9 out of 10 doctors believe that the use of screens creates developmental difficulties in young children
⋙ Young people spend six times more time in front of screens than reading
⋙ Overexposure of children to screens: overestimated harmful effects, according to a study
⋙ Constantly tired? The cause may be to be found in these social interactions, according to researchers
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