Avoid unnecessary weight gain by NOT charging your phone in bedroom: Study

Charging your phone in your bedroom may trigger weight gain, according to scientists in Spain.

A study by the University of Granada found that artificial light from phone screens, street lights, laptops or television stops the body generating a hormone that combats obesity.

Scientists conducted an experiment on obese rats and they found that increased consumption of the hormone made them lose weight and also reduced the instances of type-2 diabetes.

As we sleep, we need pitch-black conditions for the body to produce the healthy level of hormones needed to regulate how the body converts food and drink into energy.

However, ambient light from screens can hinder the production of melatonin and stop the body processing food efficiently.

"Melatonin is a natural substance present in plants, animals and humans ... a hormonal signal released during the night to establish circadian rhythms," said lead researcher Ahmad Agil, a professor at University of Granada in Spain.

"Currently, this process is frequently interrupted, as a result of excessive exposure to artificial lightning during the night  which reduces the levels of endogenous melatonin.

"For instance, many people sleep with their lamps, televisions or computers switched on, or with the blinds drawn up. It is important to try to sleep in absolute darkness to avoid interference in the generation of melatonin."

The hormone is found in particularly high quantities in spices, herbs, tea, coffee, fruit, nuts and seeds.