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Who would have thought? Researchers in both Israel and the UK have determined that the sudden exposure at night by flicking on a light just to go to the bathroom can cause changes that might well lead to cancer.

Apparently you’d be better off stubbing your toe on the way to the john, or even widdling just a wee bit on your bare toes, rather than turning on the light to avoid such unpleasant mishaps.

You makes your choices and you takes your chances…

Israel/UK Research says Switching off lights can avoid cancer

Switching off lights can avoid cancer

Simply turning on a light at night for a few seconds to go to the toilet can cause changes that might lead to cancer, scientists claim.

Reprinted from The Times of India

Researchers in the UK and Israel found that when a light is turned on at night, it triggers an “over-expression” of cells linked to the formation of cancer.

The tests were carried out on mice at Leicester University by geneticist Professor Charalambos Kyriacou. During the trial, a group of mice were exposed to a light for one hour. When compared with mice, who had been kept in the dark, changes were found in cells in the brain responsible for the circadian clock which controls body function.

“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. If you want to get up to go to the toilet, you should avoid reaching for the light switch. There are some plug-in lights that just glow, that are safe and you could use them as an alternative,” Rachel Ben-Shlomo, of the University of Haifa, was quoted as saying.