- Disruptions in circadian rhythm can raise type 2 diabetes risk.
- Researchers say spending more time outdoors may help prevent type 2 diabetes alongside a healthy diet and exercise.
- They say that’s because exposure to natural light improves metabolism and blood sugar control
Want to double up on type 2 diabetes prevention?
Try eating a salad on a sunny patio. Or go for an afternoon run. Or take a nap in your backyard.
Researchers say these are all good ways to help manage blood sugar levels.
They say that’s because abundant sunlight along with healthy diets, regular exercise, and adequate sleep are effective ways to help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
In fact, researchers go as far as to say that exposure to natural light can help treat and prevent type 2 diabetes.
They presented these findings this week at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
The research has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Researchers say that metabolism and insulin resistance are directly tied to the body’s natural clock and that increasing exposure to natural light can help both.
“The misalignment of our internal circadian clock with the demands of a 24/7 society is associated with an increased incidence of metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes,” said Ivo Habets, a study co-leader and a PhD researcher at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, in a press statement. “Natural daylight is the strongest [environmental cue] of the circadian clock, but most people are indoors during the day and so under constant artificial lighting.”
To test the theory, researchers conducted metabolic tests on a group of 13 people with type 2 diabetes as they were exposed to natural or artificial light. The study subjects were confined to a research facility in order to control their light exposure and to monitor and standardize diet and activity patterns.
Controlled light exposure took place over more than 4 days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A…
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