Lifestyle factors, genetics, and environmental influences affect how the body makes use of insulin, a hormone that helps glucose enter cells to be used for energy.
However, due to our sedentary lifestyle that includes an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and various other factors, it reduces the body’s ability to use insulin effectively, allowing glucose to build up in the bloodstream.
A team of researchers explored the role of daylight in controlling glucose levels, which revealed shocking results.
For your daily dose of medical news and updates, visit: HEALTH
"Because 80–90 per cent of our time is spent indoors and daylight is the main synchronizer of the central biological clock, the chronic lack of daylight is increasingly considered as a risk factor for metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes," mentioned the study that was published in Cell Metabolism.
How was the study conducted?
Experts exposed 13 individuals with type 2 diabetes to natural sunlight facilitated through windows vs constant artificial lighting during office hours for 4.5 consecutive days. The glucose levels were monitored continuously, which revealed that participants spent more time in the normal glucose range, and whole-body substrate metabolism shifted toward a greater reliance on fat oxidation during daylight.
The research highlighted that daylight increases whole-body fat oxidation and improves glucose homeostasis. It also increases evening melatonin levels.
What is type 2 diabetes?
As per the Mayo Clinic, type 2 diabetes happens when the body cannot use insulin correctly and sugar builds up in the blood. It is more common among older adults and can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart.
"Our findings suggest that natural daylight exposure has a positive metabolic impact on individuals with type 2 diabetes and could support the treatment of metabolic diseases," stated the study.
