Type 2 diabetes could be made worse by working in an office without windows, research suggests
- The study asked volunteers to spend nearly five days in an office-like environment
Research shows that working in a windowless office can worsen type 2 diabetes.
In a small study involving 13 retirees with the condition, volunteers were asked to spend nearly five days in an office-like environment next to a window with daylight shining through.
They also spent the same period indoors, with no windows and only artificial electric LED lighting.
When people sat next to a window, their blood sugar levels remained at normal levels 59 percent of the time.
But under electric light this was normal only 51 percent of the time, according to 24-hour blood glucose meters.
Working in a windowless office can worsen type 2 diabetes, study shows (Stock Image)
Professor Joris Hoeks, senior author of the study from Maastricht University, said: ‘People should not be stuck in dimly lit offices without windows, these results suggest.
‘It is likely that daylight has a positive influence on your body clock, which is important for processes in the body such as blood sugar control.
‘Although we didn’t see a big difference in blood sugar control linked to light, this is interesting because it’s very easy for people to change their daily routine slightly and get more natural light by sitting next to a window.’
The study, presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg but not published in a journal or reviewed by other scientists, fed people the same meals and kept them under dimmed lights in the living room. in the evening, but changed the type of light they were exposed to between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Dr. Lucy Chambers, head of research communications at Diabetes UK, said: ‘Daylight plays a crucial role in synchronizing the body’s internal clock, which is known to influence many bodily functions, including the use of glucose.
‘This small study indicates that increasing the time spent in natural daylight could be an activity that helps some people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar levels.
‘While questions remain about the duration and frequency of daylight needed to control blood sugar levels, we know that getting outside and being active can benefit us all.
‘Taking a walk during your lunch break, traveling on foot or by bike and enjoying green spaces are some of the ways to spend more time outdoors and be more physically active.’
The study has not yet been published in a journal or reviewed by other scientists.