Pee in the Dark to Avoid Cancer

Seriously, turning on light in the middle of the night seems to trigger something bad
By Caroline Miller,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 17, 2010 12:21 PM CDT
Pee in the Dark to Avoid Cancer
This light switch glows to show you how much energy is being consumed.   (gadgettastic.com)

First came the advice that we should all pee in the shower to save the water it takes to flush the toilet. Now, apparently, we should pee in the dark. Researchers in the UK and Israel have found that turning on the light in the middle of the night triggers an "over-expression" of cells linked to the formation of cancer, in the part of the brain linked to the circadian clock.

Okay, the findings are based on subjecting mice to an hour of light every night. But the researchers are quick to conclude that if you're making a middle-of-the-night bathroom run you should avoid flipping on the light, reports the Daily Mail. 'We believe that any turning on of artificial light in the night has an impact on the body clock. It's a very sensitive mechanism." (More circadian clock stories.)

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