Avoiding electronic devices before bed is an easy way to prevent diabetes. (Shutterstock)
Women who avoid computer and phone screens before bed may have a lower risk of developing gestational diabetes, according to a Northwestern University study.
Bedtime exposure to such light may be an easily avoidable risk factor for gestational diabetes, according to research published March 10, 2023 in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and is a complication that usually disappears after the baby is born, but carries significant risks to both mother and offspring. The incidence of gestational diabetes is rapidly rising globally and now accounts for nearly 8 percent of all pregnant women in the United States.
Gestational diabetes increases obstetric complications and the mother’s risk of diabetes, heart disease and dementia, said the study’s lead author, Dr. Minjee Kim, assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. , the offspring are also more likely to suffer from obesity and high blood pressure when they grow up.
Women with gestational diabetes were almost ten times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to women who did not have glucose problems during pregnancy, the researchers found.
Dr. Kim and colleagues used a wrist-worn device to measure light exposure in the second trimester of pregnancy in 741 women who were routinely screened for gestational diabetes. They found that light exposure before bedtime caused the sympathetic nervous system to become overactive, meaning heart rates rose when they should be falling before bedtime.
Symptoms such as anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, inability to relax, and indigestion can be signs of an overstimulated nervous system. “The stress response in stressful situations appears to be inappropriately activated when it should be rest and relaxation,” Dr. King said.
Sympathetic overactivity can lead to obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, all of which contribute to cardiovascular disease.
People should avoid exposure to room light and bright lights from devices such as TVs, computers, alarm clocks and smartphones three hours before bedtime, Dr. King said.
“We didn’t consider the potential hazards of keeping ambient light on from the time we wake up until we go to sleep,” Dr. King said, “but the hours before we go to bed, the light should be very dim. We probably don’t need as much light to Doing our evening routine.”
“But if you must use these devices, keep the screen as dark as possible,” said Dr. King, who advises people to use the night light option and turn off blue light.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, if a person’s daily activities are synchronized with the cycle of light and dark, it regulates his circadian rhythm and has a major effect on important body functions such as digestion and body temperature.
However, signals from the environment can also affect circadian rhythms. This may explain why many studies have found that exposure to light at night leads to a drop in the sleep hormone melatonin and, over time, weakens the immune system.
Disrupted circadian rhythms are associated with increased rates of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular risk, obesity, mood disorders, and age-related macular degeneration.
“Humans are genetically adapted to a natural environment consisting of daytime sunlight and nighttime darkness,” says epidemiology professor Chandra Jackson in a 2019 NIH article, “Nighttime Exposure Exposure to artificial light may alter hormones and other biological processes, increasing the risk of health conditions such as obesity.”
Diabetes is a sign of nutritional deficiencies
Diabetes can also be prevented with a nutrient-dense diet, according to internationally recognized expert Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Dr. Foreman is a world-leading expert on the use of nutritional approaches to prevent and reverse disease.
“If women eat a nutrient-dense diet, they will be protected from developing gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes later in life,” Dr. Forman said. “Gestational diabetes is a marker of nutritional deficiencies. If you With gestational diabetes, the best medicine is no medicine.”
“Who knows what subtle long-term effects diabetes medications may have on the unborn child? Good nutrition is the safest and most effective option.”
While eating healthy, losing weight, and exercising can reduce your risk of diabetes, turning off the lights may be a quicker, easier way to make changes to your routine.
“Turning off the lights is a simple step you can take,” Dr. King said. “Now I’m the light police in the house, and I’m noticing all these lights that I never thought about before. I try to dim the lights as much as possible.”
“You don’t need bright light for evening activities like dinner and bathing the kids.”
For the English report, please see the English “Epoch Times”: “Avoiding Computers, Smartphones Before Bedtime May Lower the Chance of Diabetes」。
Editor in charge: Li Fan
