News / 

Does Too Much Light Increase Risk of Breast Cancer?

Does Too Much Light Increase Risk of Breast Cancer?


Save Story
Leer en espaƱol

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

(KSL News) -- Could two things all women are exposed to every day determine their risk for breast cancer?

People who work overnight under constant exposure to light don't get something our bodies need: Darkness. That's when a small gland deep in the brain produces melatonin.

Exposing your eyes to light turns off production of melatonin, a hormone which appears to offer protection against cancer cells.

Catherine Welsh, M.D., Oncologist: "They found that blood from subjects that had been exposed to bright light at night when it was infused into the breast cancer caused the cancer to grow at a faster rate than the tumors that were exposed to blood from people who had remained in the dark."

To increase melatonin naturally, make sure your room is as dark as possible. When it's time for sleep, turn off the TV and any lights to give your body the darkness it needs.

Most recent News stories

STAY IN THE KNOW

Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Newsletter Signup

KSL Weather Forecast

KSL Weather Forecast
Play button