The Age-Well Project

Change the way you age

Get our posts direct to your inbox

  • About The Age-Well Project
  • Books
    • Our Books
    • Reviews
    • References
  • Blog
  • Recipes
    • Recipes By Ingredient
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Family
    • On The Go
    • Soups and Salads
    • Treats and Snacks
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Press

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH LIGHT? ENOUGH DARK?

February 18, 2022 12 Comments

Have you noticed the longer, lighter days? Isn’t it lovely? But are you spending sufficient time outdoors? Or in a sunny spot? Are you turning off Netflix/your laptop/your phone when darkness falls?

If you are, bravo! If not, you might want to read on. There’s a fair bit of science here, so scroll to the bottom if you’re only interested in our tips!

Last week I became immersed in a Dutch study investigating the effects of too much light at night and too little light during the day. After a long, particularly gloomy winter, this felt particularly important.

It was a small study, but rigorously carried out on an older population (aged between 45 and 75) of men and women with type 2 diabetes.  As the authors noted raised blood glucose and insulin levels affect us more as we age. The average age for the onset of diabetes is now 45, but falling rapidly. And yes, diabetes can kill.  But this post isn’t about diabetes – it’s about the hidden price of a life lived in artificial light.

The study from Maastricht University Medical Centre confirmed several earlier studies while also hinting at other physiological complications caused by too-much-evening-light and too-little-daytime light. It didn’t touch on depression or breast cancer, two other conditions linked to artificial light at night (catchily known as ALAN).

We all know that too much evening light (especially when it’s blue light) halts our body’s production of sleep hormone, melatonin.

We also know that a blast of morning light (within an hour of waking) sets our circadian clock.  If you’re new to the blog, here’s a quick refresher on why morning light is so important: When light hits the retina, a signal goes to a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, a tiny spot deep behind our eyes which coordinates our body’s rhythms. Morning light tells us to wake up, but it also tells our internal clock to prepare our bodies for later sleep (usually 15-18 hours later, depending on your genes).

Scientists are still unpicking how our circadian clock works. But as this Dutch study reveals, defying our natural rhythms could have greater consequences than disrupted sleep.

The study found that shifting light patterns had dramatic results on a range of health measures. Too little light during the day and too much at night did oh-so-much more than suppressing evening melatonin levels and reducing subsequent sleep. It affected participants’ metabolism, their glucose levels, their weight, even their blood pressure – and, by implication, their hearts.

When participants spent more of the day in bright light and the evening in dim light, they had lower blood glucose levels, a faster metabolism during sleep and more efficient energy consumption after their evening meal.  Put simply, their bodies worked more efficiently and effectively after a day spent in light and an evening spent in gloom – regardless of what they did or ate during that time.

When the situation was reversed (artificial light during the day and the evening, the way most of us currently live), their bodies’ reverted to their usual diabetic pattern, with raised blood glucose levels and less efficient metabolism during the evening  and a metabolism that slowed down as they slept. Regardless of their diet and exercise.

As the researchers pointed out, the smallest shifts in how our bodies expend energy can dramatically affect us, particularly when they happen over long periods of time.  Years of sitting indoors (where no amount of bulb wattage can ever compete with outdoor light) and evenings spent on a screen (TV, laptop, iphone) is how obesity and metabolic disease can creep up on us.

So why does light exposure do this? No one knows, but the Dutch authors of this study think the answer might lie with our gut. They speculate that the trillions of gut bacteria living within us also need the age-old rhythms of light days and dark nights in order to properly digest our food.

So, to summarise, artificial light during the day and evenings, cuts our levels of melatonin (also vital for ageing well), as well as messing with our digestion, raising our evening blood glucose levels, slowing down our metabolism and making us overweight.

You’d be forgiven for thinking this was quite enough damage. But it wasn’t.  The researchers also noted changes to the participants’ skin temperature.  Dim, artificial light during the day led to falling skin temperature, which was compounded after an evening in bright light.

Again, this was reversed when participants had more light during the day and less in the evening. On these occasions, skin temperature was more variable during the day, and higher in the evening.

Why does this matter? And what does it indicate?

When the temperature of our skin falls, our veins constrict. And when the temperature of our skin rises, our veins dilate – in other words our skin temperature is intimately bound up with our vascular system, which is intimately bound up with the pressure of our blood, which is intimately bound up with our heart.  Light seems to trigger daytime fluctuations in temperature that are good for our heart.  Meanwhile, warmer skin at night means more dilated veins, lower blood pressure and a heart that is well-prepared for sleep.

Meanwhile, as I write, a new study has dropped into my in-box confirming a few other consequences of too much artificial evening light. In this study (which involved ten young men, so perhaps not quite so relevant to us age-wellers) participants were exposed to either three hours of bright evening light or three hours of dim evening light. They slept in a metabolic chamber where they were repeatedly tested over a two-week period.  Those exposed to dim light (less than 50 lux) produced 63% more melatonin in the hours before bed.  But, importantly, other things happened in their bodies too. They were better able to metabolise fat, not only as they sat in the soft light of a lamp but as they slept.  Those who’d spent 3 hours beneath the equivalent of bathroom LED lights had less efficient metabolic (fat-burning) rates when they (eventually – as nodding off took longer) slept.  Which confirms other reports linking ALAN to obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

I hope this post will make you hurry outside (if it’s daytime, although as I write it is very windy indeed in the UK!) or turn off your screen/TV/LED lights (if it’s night-time).  But there are other simple things you can do:

  • Always get 10 minutes of outside light ideally within an hour of waking.
  • Be outside as often as you can… put on a coat and take your cuppa to the front doorstep or the office balcony.
  • Put your desk/chair in front of a window.
  • Where possible open that window – glass cuts out 50% of the blue (morning) light we need to set our internal clocks.
  • When the sun moves to another part of the office/house, follow it.
  • Expose your eyes – ideally while moving, a walk is perfect – to late afternoon light, helping your clock adjust for the evening.
  • Only use table lamps (with yellow/amber or red bulbs) or candles in the evening. Keep the lights dim, especially bathroom lights which are ridiculously white-bright! I clean my teeth in the dark now (standing on one leg, of course!)
  • Turn the screen brightness down on all your devices in the evening or use a programme like f.lux.
  • Turn screens off at least an hour before you want to sleep.  Read a (proper) book or listen to music instead. A recent study found that reading a paper book is substantially different to reading on an iphone, with superior benefits for both brain, body and comprehension.
  • Turn off security lights that threaten to stun (you or others) when activated. I met a retired policeman last week who told me, with complete confidence, that security lights help rather than hinder burglars.
  • Wildlife also needs night-darkness so turn off unnecessary garden/exterior lights.

If you have any other tips, please leave a comment… We’d love to hear. Lastly, to keep my publisher happy, I need to shamelessly plug (apologies) my new book, 52 Ways to Walk. It was published yesterday and includes lots of ideas for ambles and strides to set your circadian clock, to prompt melatonin production, to improve balance, to work your memory, to improve your night vision and plenty more besides, including tips on how to benefit from a windy walk!

Annabel

 

  • Conditions: Ageing, Heart disease, Insomnia, Obesity
« Would you try the ‘Green’ Mediterranean Diet for better brain health?
STAYING HYDRATED, GUT HEALTH AND WHAT TO DRINK »

Comments

  1. Karen says

    February 18, 2022 at 12:05 pm

    Hi Annabel,

    I wear light reactive glasses. I wonder if this detracts from the benefits of being out in natural light?

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      February 18, 2022 at 4:35 pm

      Yes it will. You might want to spend 10 minutes in the morning without them on?

      Reply
  2. Karen says

    February 18, 2022 at 4:38 pm

    Thanks for the tip!

    Reply
  3. Jonathan says

    February 18, 2022 at 8:54 pm

    Many thanks for the research, and helpful tips

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      February 19, 2022 at 7:20 pm

      You’re most welcome!

      Reply
  4. Rebecca says

    February 19, 2022 at 10:30 am

    Have they ever studied natural night owls that have always kept a true night schedule?
    I have always stayed up all night,
    I’ve never tried to keep up with a night schedule. I sleep from 4:00a.m. Until 10:00 a.m.
    I’m 60 years old, no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no health problems, I’m not on any medications but I am overweight. I feel well rested and healthy for the most part.
    My question are there natural night people that just have different circadian rhythms?

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      February 19, 2022 at 7:28 pm

      Ah, what an interesting question! It sounds as if your chronotype is naturally that of an owl – some studies have shown that owls become larks when they live in sync with light and dark (on camping holidays for example), but others dispute this. So the chronotype issue is unclear. Personally I think we all have a chronotype, usually inherited from a parent and written into our genes. You will probably find that your circadian rhythm mirrors that of your mother or father. And that your ancestors may have held night jobs? I come from bakers and gardeners who traditionally rose very early – unsurprisingly I’m a lark! You sound in good health – and that’s the main thing! Thanks for the comment…

      Reply
      • Rebecca Younger says

        February 19, 2022 at 9:55 pm

        Yes my father and I worked night jobs, I believe his father also. And all my siblings are night owls.
        I’ve always read studies only about day people, most research only study night people who are also trying to keep up with day people, I truly stick with a night schedule and wondered if that makes a difference in health issues.
        Thank you for your reply.

        Reply
        • Annabel Streets says

          February 21, 2022 at 11:02 am

          No health issues – in fact you’d probably have more health issues if you tried to resist your night calling! The same rules apply though – try and get light when you wake up 10-11am and darkness from 3-4am. Would you mind if I got in touch on your personal email? I’m writing a book about what we can do when we’re awake at night – you probably have lots of suggestions?! Annabel

          Reply
          • Rebecca Younger says

            February 21, 2022 at 6:51 pm

            That would be great! I would be happy to answer any question you may have.

  5. Diana Studer says

    February 21, 2022 at 10:48 pm

    I am also a night owl. Sleeping from 2AM to 8AM.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      February 28, 2022 at 8:28 am

      Thanks, Diana. May I drop you a personal line via your private email address? Annabel

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Welcome to The Age-Well Project

Welcome to The Age-Well Project!
Here you’ll find easy changes for a longer, happier life. We’ve immersed ourselves in the science of longevity and distilled the research to make it work in our everyday lives. You can change the way you age: here’s how.

Favourite Posts

WHY I’VE THROWN OUT ALL MY BEAUTY PRODUCTS (nearly…)

Why Alzheimer’s Is A Women’s Issue

HOW HAVING A DOG CHANGED MY LIFE

GREEN SPACE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, SADNESS AND BRAIN-BOOSTING BISCUITS

WHY ‘INFLAMM-AGEING’ COULD START IN THE GUT AND HARISSA-ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

POLYAMINES – THE NEW SECRET WEAPON FOR AGEING WELL & MOROCCAN SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS.

THINNING AGEING HAIR – WARM CHICKEN LIVER SALAD

About The Age Well Project

This site is for anyone who wants to make the second half of their life as healthy, happy and disease-free as possible. Sign up to get the latest research on ageing – and delicious recipes to match – direct to your inbox.

agewellproject

⭐️Change the way you age
📚The Age-Well Project + Age-Well Plan ⭐️Get tips & recipes on our blog - sign up ⬇️

The Age-Well Project blog
Susan was lucky enough to spend a day at the olive Susan was lucky enough to spend a day at the olive harvest at Bidni Extra Virgin Olive Oil @bidni_evoo in Malta in late September. Fresh from the press, the oil was pretty peppery! That’s the polyphenols at work.

Polyphenol levels in olive oil also play a vital role in its brain boosting properties. They help reduce neuroinflammation and slow cognitive decline.

A study presented at a conference this summer by Harvard School of Public Health looked at the cognition of more than 90,000 people over 30 years. It found that those who consumed half a tablespoon of olive oil each day, as opposed to mayonnaise or margarine, had a 28%  lower risk of dying from dementia. Interestingly, this research found that the brain benefits of olive oil held up, regardless of the quality of the rest of the participants’ diet. So even those who didn’t adhere to other guidelines of the Mediterranean diet still got the benefits from the oil.

There’s more on the blog - link in bio

#womenover50 #over50andfit #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalwomen #postmenopausalhealth 
#brainhealth #alzheimers #reducedementiarisk #cognitivehealth  #agewell #longevity #ageingwell #agingwell #longevity #EVOO
Two new pieces of research you need to know about Two new pieces of research you need to know about if you want to age well: 

1️⃣ the kynurenine pathway. It’s complicated but high levels of it don’t bode well for ageing well. Several studies have found that older people, those who’ve had hip fractures, the frail, as well as the depressed have higher circulating levels of kynurenine.  Indeed the more kynurenine in your blood, the greater your chances of dying sooner rather than later. High levels of kynurenine also seem to be associated with low levels of melatonin and serotonin – meaning both poorer sleep and a greater risk of depression.

New research has identified a very simple way of blocking the accumulation of kynurenine (and its toxic by-products) in our blood and tissues: regular, heart-beat-raising movement.

2️⃣ Platelet Factor 4 (PF4). This compound appears to keep our brains and memories sharp. And it too is released when we move. Discovered by a team from the University of Queensland Brain Institute, PF4 is a protein secreted by the tiny blood cells that prevent blood clotting (known as platelets). This protein rejuvenates brain cells (neurons) in ageing mice, and researchers now think it may be the reason that exercise  and movement amplify the production of new neurons in the brain.

Want more info? It’s on the blog - link in bio 

#womenover50 #over50andfit #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalwomen #postmenopausalhealth 
#brainhealth #alzheimers #reducedementiarisk #cognitivehealth  #agewell #longevity #ageingwell #agingwell #longevity
In today’s Observer: Check out our top tips for In today’s Observer: Check out our top tips for caring for ourselves and our parents. Take a multi vit for 50+, persevere with technology and/or try something new every day, walk daily, stay social, consume sufficient protein, supplement with vits D and B12… 

#agewell #healthyaging
Autumn giveaway! 🍂 We’ve got a bundle of two Autumn giveaway! 🍂

We’ve got a bundle of two books to give away here on Insta - one copy of The Age-Well Project and one of 52 Ways to Walk. 

To win, simply leave a comment below letting us know your favorite landscape for autumn and winter walks. Do you like hills, mountains, flatlands, canals, rivers, coastlines, cities, cemeteries, your local park, moorland...? Just a few words to tell us where you’d most like to be walking in the next few months to help you age well. 

The competition closes at midnight BST on 18 October and a winner will be selected at random.

And in case you’re wondering why Annabel’s interested in your favourite landscape, it’s because she’s writing a new book about the places we choose to walk in and how they affect us. So she’d love to get a rough idea of the best-loved locations… all in confidence, of course.

Good luck!

#womenover50 #over50andfit #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalwomen #postmenopausalhealth 
#brainhealth #alzheimers #reducedementiarisk #cognitivehealth  #agewell #longevity #ageingwell #agingwell #giveaway #womenwhohike #womenwhowalk
Look, we know not many people have round-the-clock Look, we know not many people have round-the-clock access to a sauna. But Susan found one in a hotel she was staying at recently, there’s one in our local gym and Annabel found plenty on her summer holiday in Finland. 

A growing number of studies attest to the longevity-enhancing benefits of routine forays into a sauna. Much of the research has been instigated in Finland where sauna (pronounced to rhyme with downer) has existed forever.

So how does sauna help us age well? The extreme heat activates heat shock proteins which researchers think can maintain the healthy functioning of our cells.  As we get older, the proteins in some of our cells start to misfold and collapse. They then clump together forming plaques, including the plaques thought to cause Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Heat shock proteins – triggered by a sauna stint and possibly by hot baths – appear to prevent the misfolding and collapsing of cellular proteins, as well as clearing out those that have already misfolded. Which is to say they keep our cells in good shape. 

There’s more on the blog - link in bio 

#womenover50 #over50andfit #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalwomen #postmenopausalhealth 
#brainhealth #alzheimers #reducedementiarisk #cognitivehealth #betterbrainhealth #brainfog  #agewell #longevity #ageingwell #agingwell
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Contact Us

For any enquiries please email theagewellproject@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2023 The Age-Well Project