Light exposure
“The third factor that’s only been discovered fairly recently has to do with exposure to light.”
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Light from our phones impacts our brains
“It turns out that kids who grow up near the equator go through puberty earlier than kids who grow up near the north or south pole and that’s because, when you grow up near the equator, you have more exposure to sunlight over the course of your childhood years.”
And while that may not be of too much concern to parents in northern Europe, recent research suggests a final factor which applies to many children here.
“Scientists have discovered recently that the light that emanates from tablets or smartphones or computer screens can also affect the onset of puberty by disrupting the brain’s melatonin system.
“So as kids spend more and more time in front of these screens – especially in front of the blue light that’s emitted by many of these devices – that has probably contributed to earlier puberty as well.”
