We like to share the big and little ways you can aid your blood sugar. If you have blood sugar concerns, the first step you should take is speaking with your doctor about a medical plan that’s right for you. However, lifestyle changes can make a large difference to your health as well. And small changes can add up to big results!
According to a new study, the type of light older people are exposed to throughout the day can impact their blood sugar. The study was small, with only 13 people. They all had blood sugar concerns and were around 70 years old. The study took place in specially designed rooms at Maastricht Univ. that aren’t necessarily reflective of the real world.
The participants took all their normal medications and spent 4.5 days in a room with large windows and natural light from 8 AM to 5 PM. They wore continual glucose monitors so their blood sugar levels were tracked all day. They had access to their phones and computers with the screens set to dim levels. At night, they had low artificial lighting and could use their electronics until 11 PM, then stayed in darkness until 7 AM. They exercised and ate meals provided to them by the researchers. After a month-long break, the same participants did the same study but in a windowless room with artificial light.
"This experimental model allows us to examine the same people under both conditions, which limits the individual variability in our results," said Joris Hoeks, an associate professor at Maastricht Univ. "Apart from the light source, all the other lifestyle parameters — meals, sleep, physical activity, screen time, etc. — were kept strictly identical."
When the researchers compared data from the two time periods, people had better blood sugar when exposed to natural light. The difference was only seven percent. However, every bit helps when you are taking steps to ensure you have good sleep!
Because the study was in a highly controlled lab setting, it’s hard to tell what the real-world implications are. "The next step will be to study the interactions between exposure to natural light and metabolic health in real-life conditions, by equipping volunteers with light detectors and glucose measurement tools for several weeks," said Jan-Frieder Harmsen, lead author of the study.
The human body uses light to regulate circadian rhythm. When our bodies are out of sync with the day, it can throw off our metabolism and sleep patterns. Regulating those systems helps keep blood sugar levels healthy. So, logically, getting more in tune with the sun helps blood sugar.
