Be Careful Sleeping with the Light On

Scientists find that human body needs dark atmosphere in order to produce chemical substance to fight cancer. Children who sleep with the light on has a risk of suffering leukemia cancer. Even when we turn on toilet light, or we are on traveling, the street lights can stop melatonin production.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by pineal gland. Pinela gland is is a tiny organ in the brain of human beings and most other vertebrates (animals with a backbone). Scientists believe it plays a role in a variety of important body functions, including certain reproductive processes. In most other vertebrates, the pineal gland helps regulate certain daily and seasonal body cycles.

The production of melatonin varies with periods of light and darkness in the environment. It responds directly to light that penetrates the skin. It obtains information about light in the environment by means of nerve pathways originating in the eyes. In general, light slows and darkness stimulates the pineal gland's production of melatonin. Therefore, the gland tends to secrete small amounts of melatonin during the day and large amounts at night. Researchers have long suggested a connection between melatonin levels and certain mental illnesses.

Our body needs a chemical substance to prevent DNA damage. The presence of melatonin will stop fatty acid alter to be a tumor and prevent its develpoment.

Professor Russle Reiter from Texas University who was on the lead at the research said, "When you forget to turn off the light in 1 minute, your brain will assume that the light is on all night and the production of melatonin automatically decreases."

At a conference about Children Suffered Leukemia held in London, there was a statement that people will suffer cancer because they are exposed too long to the light when they are sleeping, comparing with people who does not turn on their light in the night.

The number of children suffered leukemia increases two fold during the last 40 years. At least 500 young people below 15 years of age are diagnosed suffering the disease every year and at least 100 of them are died.

The light in the night between 21.00 pm to 08.00 am will suppress melatonin production below average. Previous research has showed that people who is vulnerable to breast cancer is the night-shift workers.

However, the fact shows that blind man has lower risk of suffering cancer. So it is suggested for parents to use gloomy red or green-light bulb for their children whenever they are afraid of darkness.