A late-night street scene in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. (Delores Johnson / The National)
A late-night street scene in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. (Delores Johnson / The National)
A late-night street scene in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. (Delores Johnson / The National)
A late-night street scene in the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. (Delores Johnson / The National)

Bright lights and big cities are bad for your health


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The street is brighter than usual. The corner house has been decorated in fairy lights from roof to floor. Someone must be newly wed. Furthermore, the next-door neighbour has fitted two powerful new spotlights to illuminate his driveway.

Meanwhile, inside the houses, phone lights blink on and off throughout the night, impatiently demanding attention. Similarly, a row of green lights on a Wi-Fi router and a computer performing a nocturnal download make further contributions to this night-time symphony of light.

This ritual has become so widespread and common as to have earned itself a fun acronym; scientists call it "Alan", which stands for artificial light at night. I imagine the scientist who came up with this acronym was himself called Alan.

Cute acronyms aside though, artificial light at night poses a serious risk to human health. Our bright nights come at a price. Beside the environmental consequences of perpetual illumination there are also negative effects on the mind and body.

A recent review of the related research, published in Chronobiology International, concludes that human exposure to artificial light at night is associated with an increased risk of several health problems, including breast cancer, diabetes and sleeping disorders. Researchers suggest that this might be related to artificial light at night’s effects on melatonin, also known as the Dracula hormone because it tends to be more active at night. Artificial light at night appears to suppress the release of melatonin.

Experimental research using animals supports the idea that exposure to night-time light might actually play a role in causing health problems. One study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, exposed mice to dim light during the night or a regular light-dark cycle. The mice all received the same quantities of food and didn't differ in activity levels. However, the mice in the night-time light condition gained more weight than their counterparts living in the regular light-dark conditions.

Beyond physical health a 2012 study published in the Journal of Molecular Psychiatry, also suggests a link between exposure to night-time light and mental health.

The study, led by Tracy Bedrosian, a neuroscientist at Ohio State University Medical Centre, exposed hamsters to dim night-time light approximating the amount of light emitted from a computer screen or TV.

After a few weeks, the previously happy hamsters began to exhibit behavioural changes similar to those observed in depressed humans; social withdrawal and anhedonia (a diminished appetite for pleasure). Furthermore, the hamsters evidenced structural changes in their hippocampi, a brain region also implicated in human depression.

Maybe our increasingly LED-lit lives have made a contribution to the rising rates of depression? This fits with an old idea about mental health and the full moon. Psychologists have argued that in pre-industrialised societies, when nights were dark – before artificial light at night – a bright full moon might prove especially disruptive to sleep patterns, thereby triggering psychological disorders in the vulnerable.

Psychologists have known for several decades that anything disruptive to our circadian rhythms (the body clock) can trigger episodes of psychological disorder, especially mood disorders (depression and mania). The issue of night-time light however, has now become enough of a concern for the American Medical Association to publish a public report called Light Pollution: Adverse Health Effects of Night-time Lighting.

If the prospect of anthropogenic climate change isn’t motive enough to turn out unnecessary lights, then perhaps our own immediate health is. The UAE is a global leader in the purchase of consumer electronics. That's a lot of night-time light sources. Overly powerful yard lights and wedding illuminations also make their contributions to light pollution.

Simple problems, thankfully, often require simple solutions. Just turnout the light. In the above mentioned case of the unhappy hamsters, allowing them to go back to regular “lights-out” sleeping arrangements reversed their condition in about two weeks.

Eliminating artificial light at night from our lives is the sleep equivalent of eating organic – sleep without additives. This is how we used to sleep before iPads replaced teddy bears as our childhood bedfellows.

Dr Justin Thomas is an associate professor at Zayed University

On Twitter: @DrJustinThomas

Zidane's managerial achievements

La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017

Second ODI

England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)

England win by 86 runs

Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley 

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

RESULTS

6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock

9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

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• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

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Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

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Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
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  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How does ToTok work?

The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store

To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.

The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.

Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

Scores

Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Jetour T1 specs

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Transmission: 6-speed auto

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request