Acts of Non-Consumption and Light at Night Increasing Chances of Cancer & Depression

[helwen]

First, from Casaubon's Book (Sharon Astyk)'s post today:

American Revolutionary War historian Timothy Breen has coined a term for the rituals of boycott, of self-restraint, of collective non-participation that enabled victory in the Revolution. He calls them "Acts of Non-Consumption" and writes at length about how powerful the collective choice not to consume, to resist, to restrain oneself for a larger goal can be. I've written more about this in an essay "Can Rationing be Made Palatable" here: http://casaubonsbook.blogspot.com/2007/06/could-rationing-be-made-palatable.html, but the central truth that Breen points out is that in hard times, the pleasures of communal Austerity can be as powerful as any act of consumption - more so.

The Riot for Austerity now has nearly 1,000 members in 14 countries! I've had to set my email settings for the Riot's email support group to web-only recently -- too many things to do around here, and I don't want to spend too much time online (reducing electricity use). But it's great to see that more people are trying to live more lightly, to whatever degree they may succeed. Some folks have been doing it for a while, and others are brand new, so for them this is a big change. Kudos to all of them!

*** HEALTH CONCERN ***

Second, and this was of particular interest to me because I do tend to be up rather late at night, at least so far this past summer/fall. Time to work on getting up with the pre-dawn and going to bed earlier. I read an article in the paper today about how staying up late is hurting people's health. Basically, regular prolonged use of artificial lighting so that we can do things like be up all night, work night shifts, etc. can mess with melatonin production (helps with setting the biological clock for when you should be awake and asleep). Can cause poor sleep, fatigue,and depression. There are hormones that are supposed to be used when you're awake during the day (activated by light hitting the eye), which are getting messed up by the time changes.

A branch of the World Health Organization (WHO) is working on a report that they'll be publishing later in the year, that for women working night shift, this should be considered a health risk, on the same level as being exposed to carcinogens. This comes out of a study that has found that women who are up at night regularly have a higher incidence of breast cancer.

From Science News, 1998:

Exposure to light at night can disrupt the body’s production of melatonin, a brain hormone best known for its daily role in resetting the body’s biological clock (SN: 5/13/95, p. 300). Secreted primarily in the brain, and at night, melatonin triggers a host of biochemical activities, including a nocturnal reduction in the body’s production of estrogen. Some researchers have speculated that chronically decreasing nocturnal melatonin production—as with light—might increase an individual’s risk of developing estrogen-related malignancies, such as breast cancer.

According to the scientists in the Washington Post article, this sleep disruption of being up at night is very likely a contributor to compounding some people's depression issues into seasonal affected disorder (SAD).

The light wavelengths that in particular the eye responds to, that effect melatonin production, are the blue - violet wavelengths -- these tend to reduce melatonin production. Among other things, this would include computer monitors and televisions.

So, earlier to bed for me from now on, as much as possible. And less blue light at night too (so, less television or time on the computer at night). Huh. Who would have guessed that using candles at night might actually be healthier (assuming proper ventilation, etc.), as well as saving on electricity? (And yes, for the detail people, most of the candles I currently have are commercially made paraffin-based candles. But I already have them so I might as well use them. We'll be working on switching to something else like local beeswax, hopefully next year when I'll finally be running low on the existing stock).

Comments

:nods:

[embermwe.livejournal.com]

I HAVE to use blue based lights in my house
because I work 3rd, and otherwise would not
get enough light to meet my needs, also causing seasonal affective disorder.

Re: :nods:

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Hey, I just remembered something... William G makes this stuff he calls ginger water (like a type of sekanjabin, and called switchell in the 1800's in America). He usually only makes it in the summer, but then one year he was making it in the winter, and it helped with the change in sunlight levels.

Water, cider vinegar, ginger, and a sweetener (honey or maple syrup usually). If you're interested, I'll see about having L post the recipe.

Re: :nods:

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

Might I also suggest considering sorghum molasses? It's a different effect.

[hyperbard.livejournal.com]

*G*Candles are great, aren't they?