Study warns of a common habit that increases the risk of early death

A recent study said that the habit of sleeping in front of the TV every day, could contribute to an increased risk of early death.

Researchers at Northwestern University School of Medicine studied the effect of ambient light on the health and sleep habits of 552 people aged 63 to 84 years.

The study found that those who slept with even the slightest ambient light were more likely to develop diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

"People should do their best to avoid or reduce the amount of light they are exposed to during sleep," Phyllis Zee, the study's lead author, said.

According to the study, reported by RT, insulin resistance is more likely to occur in the morning after people sleep in a room with dim lighting, such as that emitted by a television set.

Insulin resistance occurs when muscle, fat and liver cells do not respond properly to insulin, and is commonly associated with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

"We're showing a mechanism that may be key to explaining why this happens," Zee said.

We show that it affects your ability to regulate glucose.”

The results showed that 17.8% of the study participants who slept in ambient light at night had diabetes, compared to only 9.8% of those who slept in complete darkness.

Meanwhile, 40.7% of participants who slept in ambient light were obese, while just over a quarter of participants who slept in the dark were obese (26.7%).

This sleep study also revealed some other disturbing facts linking light to health problems, and showed that those who slept in ambient light were more likely to stay up late at night and also sleep late into the next day.

"We know that late sleepers also have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic disorders," Zee said.

And it's not just TVs that sleep experts are warning about, smartphones are also a distraction during the night.

A 2019 study found that 36 percent of teens and 26 percent of adults get up to check their mobile devices at least once during the night, with the survey's research director describing this sleep "disruption" as a "concern."

One sleep expert advises turning off phones at least three hours before bedtime because "the blue light from the screen can trick your brain into thinking it's daytime even though it's dark outside."

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