We’ve all been guilty of sleeping in, but a doctor has warned against it since it can result in diabetes, weight gain, and high blood pressure.
American emergency physician Joe Whittington stated in a video posted on his well-liked TikTok page that watching TV before bed may not be as beneficial as you might assume.
“Sleeping while watching television can potentially shorten your life and have detrimental effects on your health. This is the reason, Dr. Whittington stated, before citing a 2022 study carried out by scientists at Northwestern University School of Medicine in Chicago.
Over 550 volunteers, ranging in age from 63 to 84, were asked to wear watches to bed in order for researchers to monitor the quantity of ambient light they were exposed to at night and how that affected their health.
“The research revealed that individuals who slept with even a minimal amount of ambient lighting in their room had a higher likelihood of developing diabetes, obesity, and hypertension,” stated Dr. Whittington.
They discovered that those who slept with low lighting—from a TV or even a smartphone—had higher insulin resistance the following morning, which affected their capacity to control blood sugar levels.
“The participants’ disparities in diabetes and obesity were very striking.
Dr. Whittington counseled individuals to “black out the lights, put on some white noise and live forever… or maybe just longer” in order to “give yourself the best chance of a long and happy life.”
“Avoid dozing off while watching TV,” he said.
Dr. Samuel Choudhury, who is based in Singapore, previously commented on the Northwestern University study and said that its conclusions were “consistent” with research done in Japan.
The Japanese study also discovered that exposure to light at night raises the chance of obesity. According to the study, mice that were exposed to light at night had higher rates of diabetes and obesity, according to Dr. Choudhury.
“Light at night also reduces melatonin levels, which have been linked in certain research to an increased risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.”
“I know some of you are thinking, ‘Why am I dying?’ because the three main risk factors for heart disease are excessive blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.Of course, further research is necessary, but improving one’s sleeping patterns won’t hurt.
