Glowing street lights at night, LED screens and blue light from mobile phones may have become a part of modern life. But many researches show that this artificial light can become a threat to health. In fact, many international researches have revealed that exposure to artificial lights at night can increase the risk of cancer. In such a situation, let us now tell you how the light that illuminates the house is bringing darkness in your life and how is it causing cancer?

Effect on melatonin, tumor may increase

Research conducted by America’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has found that exposure to artificial light at night suppresses the level of melatonin hormone in the body. This hormone controls sleep and the body’s biological clock and also has anti-tumor properties. It has also been observed in research that the anti-cancer ability of the blood of women who faced problems due to light during sleep has reduced. At the same time, the blood of people who slept in complete darkness slowed down the growth of tumors in animal models. This research was published in the journal Cancer Research in 2005.

Blue light of LED is also a cause of danger

Whereas researchers from Britain’s University of Exeter and Barcelona Institute of Global Health conducted research on about 4000 people in Madrid and Barcelona. It was found that the risk of breast and prostate cancer can increase by about one and a half times in people who are exposed to excessive blue light emanating from LEDs. According to the researchers involved in this research, blue light disturbs the body’s circadian rhythm i.e. biological clock, which can lead to hormonal imbalance.

Working in night shift is also dangerous

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has already categorized night shift work as a potential cancer risk. Research suggests that light at night suppresses melatonin and may affect estrogen activity. In a 2016 global research, data from 158 countries was analyzed. It was found that where there is more artificial light at night, the overall cancer rate and cases of lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer were found to be higher. Apart from this, according to a research, the risk of thyroid cancer has also been found to be higher in people living in areas with more artificial light.

How to protect?

Experts say that in modern life it is not possible to completely protect from light. But some precautions can reduce the risk. Such as using dim light at night, limiting use of mobile phones and screens, using blue light or filter night mode and keeping the room dark while sleeping can prove helpful.

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