Stay Slim by Flicking This Switch

Talk about an easy way to lose weight . . . a new study suggests that you could avoid packing on extra pounds just by flicking a switch.

The switch in question? Your bedroom light. Or that patio light that always wakes you up at night. Or that alarm clock that's too bright. A new animal study suggests that being exposed to even just a little bit of light at night might make you fat.

Night Lights
In the study, some mice were kept in darkness during the night while others were kept in dim lighting. And even though the mice in dim lighting weren't fed any extra, by the end of 8 weeks they had gained 50 percent more body mass than the mice who were kept in darkness. The light-exposed mice also started showing signs of prediabetes. Researchers think the extra light at night may have altered the mice's levels of melatonin -- a hormone known to influence metabolism. (Related: Find out how eating dinner earlier can help you sleep better.)