Getting ready in the dark may be the cause of your weight gain

As it turns out, you may be piling on the pounds because you’re getting ready in the dark. A study published in the journal PLOS One suggests that exposure to natural light can have a huge impact on your sleep and circadian clock, both of which help influence weight regulation and eating patterns.

The goal of the study was to look at the relationship between natural light, sleep and body mass index (BMI). Fifty four people participated, an equal male to female ratio who had an average age of 30, with BMIs running along the normal range (24 or below). Participants with higher depressive symptoms were excluded from the study and none of the participants reported jobs involving shift work.

After monitoring participants for seven days, researchers determined that a temporal pattern of natural light exposure each morning (about 20-30 minutes/day) can influence body weight — this is independent of sleep timing and duration. Participants in this case had lower BMIs regardless of what their feeding patterns were.

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The study supports two previous animal studies that link light directly to BMI, rather than solely on caloric intake — this may be due to the impact light plays on hormone production. Again confirming, a pattern of natural light exposure during the morning can alter nightly melatonin levels as well as sensitivity of the circadian clock to light. In effect, this is what influences weight regulation and metabolism.

So let the sunshine in when you’re getting ready in the morning. More research needs to be done, but duration and intensity of exposure to light could possibly be looked at as a risk factor in the management of obesity.

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