Is the night too bright?

Is the night too bright?

Nightlife was born in places like this grand salon, as peasants went to bed and the wealthy stayed up to party in the light of massive chandeliers and mirrors. Turns out the peasants were the smart ones.

New research into our circadian rhythm, the daily cycle of sleep and wake, hunger and fast, reveals the risks of artificial light. Most of us now get too little light during the day and too much at night, throwing off our circadian rhythm. And since the same genes that control the circadian rhythm also influence the genes behind food processing, our DNA damage response, and how our cells and tissues grow, it’s no surprise that obesity, diabetes, cancer, sleeplesness, and depression are all on the rise. Party at your own peril.

—Tim Gihring, editor

April 8, 2015

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Source: QZ.com, April 7, 2015