Working in a windowless office puts diabetics at risk

0

A study of diabetics has found that working in artificial light negatively affects blood sugar levels.

The average worker spends almost 40 hours a week at work. And most people work indoors, whether in offices, warehouses, stores, schools or other places. A new study has found that this can be risky for people with diabetes.

A study found that spending time in a windowless office can affect blood sugar levels. The study involved 13 seniors with type 2 diabetes spending nearly 10 days in an office environment.

For the first half of the experiment, they sat next to a window that let in natural light. For the second half, they sat under artificial LED lighting, with no windows in the room.

The researchers found that participants sitting near a window had “normal” blood sugar levels 59 percent of the time. That dropped to 51 percent when they were under electric light, as shown by their blood glucose monitors. “People shouldn't be stuck in dimly lit offices with no windows, as these results suggest. It's likely that daylight has a positive effect on your biological clock, which is important for processes inside the body like blood sugar control,” says the endocrinologist. “While the results may not show huge differences in blood sugar control, they could still be important for people with diabetes, he said.”“While we didn’t see a big difference in blood sugar control related to light, it’s interesting because it’s easy for people to change their daily routine a little and get more natural light by sitting near a window.”

To ensure consistency, the study participants were fed the same diet and kept in “dim” lighting in the evenings. The type of light they were exposed to varied from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The body’s internal clock can affect blood sugar levels.

“Daylight plays a crucial role in synchronizing the body’s internal clock, which is known to affect many body functions, including glucose utilization. This small study suggests that increasing the amount of time spent in natural daylight may help some people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar levels.” She advised exercising more and spending more time outdoors to prevent or control diabetes. “While questions remain about the amount and frequency of daylight needed to control blood glucose, we know that getting outside and being active can benefit us all,” she said. “Walking during your lunch break, walking or cycling, and spending time in green spaces are some ways to increase your time outdoors and physical activity.” The study has not yet been published in a journal and has not been peer-reviewed.