💥 Just published in the Lancet:
Based on data from 85,000 participants in the UK Biobank tracked for 8 YEARS, this is the largest study to date to link diabetes risk to light exposure at night.
Sources of nighttime light included lamps, streetlights, and digital screens.
Participants in the top 10% of light exposure between 12:30am and 6am were 1.5 times more likely to develop diabetes than those in the dark.
Why would this be?
Light at night can disrupt the circadian rhythm, which regulates hunger cues, insulin release, and sugar metabolism around the clock.
Some ways I advise my patients to support a healthy circadian rhythm:
☀️ Sunlight on the face in the morning
☕ Keep caffeine to the first half of the day
🥣 Eat on a regular schedule
🌙 Wind-down routine at night
Sometimes simple habits make the biggest difference!
↗️ Share to your stories or your feed to spread the word!
Windred DP, Burns, AC, Rutter MK, et al. Personal light exposure patterns and incidence of type 2 diabetes: analysis of 13 million hours of light sensor data and 670,000 person-years of prospective observation. The Lancet. 2024. [link]