Study links obesity and gadgets
Nighttime use of TVS, ipads and computers affects metabolism
LONDON — Televisions, iPads and computers in bedrooms may be contributing to the obesity epidemic because rooms are not dark enough for the metabolism to work properly, scientists have suggested.
Sleepers need pitch-black conditions for the body to produce the healthy level of hormones that is needed to regulate how the body converts food and drink into energy, the study says. But ambient light from screens, and even street lighting creeping under curtains and blinds, can harm the production of melatonin and stop the body processing food efficiently.
Scientists at the University of Granada, Spain, discovered that injections of melatonin helped combat obesity and diabetes in rats. They believe recreating similar levels of the hormone by sleeping in the dark could have a similar effect in humans.
“Melatonin is a natural substance present in plants, animals and humans; it works as a hormonal signal released during the night to establish circadian rhythms,” said Prof. Ahmad Agil.
“Currently, this process is frequently interrupted as a result of excessive exposure to artificial lighting during the night. For instance, many people sleep with their lamps, televisions or computers switched on, or with the blinds drawn up.
“It is important to try to sleep in absolute darkness to avoid interference in the generation of melatonin,” he said.
One in four adults in England is obese and these figures are set to climb to 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women by 2050.
According to the Canadian Obesity Network, one in four adult Canadians and one in 10 children are clinically obese.
The researchers suggest keeping evening lighting and the use of computers to a minimum at night.
The study was published in the Journal of Pineal Research.