Khaberni - A recent scientific study conducted by researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and published in the scientific journal Diabetologia reveals that exposure to natural daylight can help type 2 diabetes patients regulate blood sugar levels more effectively, even without any medicinal intervention.
This effect relies on what are known as circadian rhythms, which are biological cycles that last about 24 hours and play a central role in regulating metabolic processes, including glucose metabolism. Studies show that excessive exposure to artificial light at night confuses these rhythms, leading to disrupted sugar levels, while sunlight contributes to enhancing the body's response to insulin.
Although scientists have recognized the impact of natural light for years, the role that windows can play in introducing this light into enclosed spaces had not been directly researched before. From this perspective, the lead researcher, physiologist Joris Hoeks, and his team from Maastricht University, decided to study the impact of natural light entering through windows on diabetic patients who spend most of their time indoors.
The study included a small group of 13 type 2 diabetic patients with an average age of 70 years. They were divided into two groups: the first group stayed in rooms with large windows that allowed natural light during the day and minimized artificial lighting at night, while the other group stayed in similar conditions but under artificial lighting only.
When monitoring glucose levels for 10 of the participants, the results showed that the values remained within the healthy range for about 50% of the time in the group exposed to natural light, compared to 43% in the other group. This range is defined as between 4.4 and 7.2 millimoles/liter, according to the British National Health Service and the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hoeks explained that maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial to reducing the risk of complications, such as cardiovascular diseases. He also noted that light-receptive cells in the eye, affected by short waves coming from natural light, play a direct role in stimulating the biological processes that control sugar regulation.
The researcher concluded his talk by emphasizing the importance of these results, saying: «The results may not be final yet, but they clearly indicate that regular exposure to natural daylight—even just sitting by a window—can be a simple, free, and beneficial means for patients with type 2 diabetes».
