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Light, stress and obesity may seem unrelated, but in fact, they are related. As we all know, winter is a season when people tend to gain weight. Many people think that because it is cold in winter, people’s physical activities are relatively reduced, the body’s metabolism slows down, and heat consumption is less, etc. Therefore, people will of course become obese. In fact, this is only one side of the problem. Scientific research has found that a person's mental state is closely related to the amount of light they receive, and their mental state in turn affects their food intake. Obesity is common in winter, which is subtly related to insufficient sunlight.

Light and pressure

People know that the sunrise time varies throughout the year, and the longest difference in late autumn and winter compared to summer can be 4-5 hours. Moreover, in autumn and winter, not only is the daylight short, but the light is also weak. Insufficient sunlight will cause the pineal gland in the center of the brain to secrete more melatonin, making people more likely to experience mental symptoms such as lack of energy, inattention, and depression. This is medically called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). For example, in Florida in the southern United States, where the winter is sunny, only 4% of people show mental symptoms. However, in Alaska, where the winter is long and the weather is gloomy, 28% of people show persistent mental depression. That is to say, if you have trouble getting up in the mornings during the winter and often feel tired, depressed, and unable to concentrate, you should pay attention to the impact of seasonal affective disorder.

Stress and diet

Scientists have found that regular lack of sun exposure will increase the appetite of SAD patients. Usually in the afternoon and evening, they are particularly fond of sugar. In addition, women with a tendency to have mental outbursts often encounter troubles at work but cannot complain, so they will consciously or unconsciously rely on overeating to relieve the various mental pressures they encounter.

Many women often eat French fries and other foods all night long after returning home to relieve their boredom. These people may consume 500 kcal more per day than usual. This is all due to the lighting effect. A survey by American psychologists also found that mental stress can cause fat to accumulate in the abdomen. Although people still cannot give an exact explanation for this, they believe that abnormal hormone secretion is a major factor. One study showed that 47% of people gain weight in late fall and winter. It is true that they exercise less in bad weather, but the vast majority of those who have gained weight admit that they have uncontrollable mental stress and feel that food is a "mental placebo."

Diet and obesity

People's emotions tend to fluctuate greatly in winter, which in turn affects their diet and weight. Scientists believe that there is a simple and easy treatment with no side effects, which is to expose patients to stronger light sources. Based on the principle that light can inhibit the secretion of melatonin, scientists have successfully used bright light to prevent and treat seasonal affective disorder caused by short daylight hours in autumn and winter.

Generally, 2500-10000 lux of full-spectrum light is used, with each exposure lasting 45 minutes. The patient should be 45 cm away from the light source and look at the light source every 30 seconds (not staring), once in the morning and once in the evening. This can help regulate the body's biological clock and prevent and treat seasonal affective disorder. The brightness of this light source is 5-20 times that of normal residential lighting. 70-80% of people feel good after exposure, while the rest need to take medication. Of course, scientists warn that the most important thing is that you should learn to think. Thinking can calm you down, so that you can correct your behavior according to changes in the environment and pay attention to controlling mental stress. In this way, you will live a healthier life.