Let There Be Less Light

LED Display   (Public Domain)

Although light can be a good thing, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.

Case in point:  “Researchers have found that mice exposed to artificial light around the clock suffer a range of health consequences.”  These include “inflammation, muscle weakness and bone loss.”

An overabundance of light can mess with the natural rhythms of the brain’s circadian clock.  This “central clock” is located within a section of the hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

Humans who work various shifts are prone to such difficulties.  They have been known to have “an increased risk for heart disease.”  Sleep deprivation can also lead to weight

gain and osteoporosis.

LED street lights can be especially detrimental.  Particularly rich in blue light, they “may have up to five times greater impact on circadian rhythms than conventional street lamps.”

 

Resources

https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/67341e87-ac58-3d05-8555-9821d456ba56/ss_turn-it-off!-light-round-the.html?nhp=1

Copyright July 14, 2016 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved