LONDON (Reuters) – Sitting in front of a computer or TV screen late into the night or leaving it on when you fall asleep could increase your chances of becoming depressed, according to a study by U.S. scientists.

The study, by a team of neuroscientists at Ohio State University Medical Center partly funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, will give screen-addicted night owls pause for thought.

The researchers – who exposed hamsters to dim light at night and picked up changes in behavior and the brain that bore striking similarities to symptoms in depressed people – said a surge in exposure to artificial light at night in the last 50 years had coincided with rising rates of depression, particularly among women, who are twice as prone as men.

“The results we found in hamsters are consistent with what we know about depression in humans,” said Tracy Bedrosian, who led the study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Although exposure to night-time light has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and obesity, the relationship with mood disorders is poorly understood.

The hamsters involved in the experiment were exposed for four weeks to dim light at night – equivalent to a television screen in a darkened room – and the results compared to a control group exposed to a normal light-dark cycle.

The experimental group was then moved back onto a normal cycle for one, two or four weeks before they were tested.

The results showed they were less active and had a lower than usual interest in drinking sugar water – both symptoms are comparable to signs of depression in people.

The similarity extended to their biological make-up. The researchers found changes in the hippocampus – a part of the brain – that were consistent with people suffering depression.

The hamsters exposed to dim light at night were also shown to produce more of a protein called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a chemical messenger that is mobilized when the body is injured or infected and causes inflammation in its efforts to repair the damage.

“Researchers have found a strong association in people between chronic inflammation and depression,” said Randy Nelson, who also worked on the study. “That’s why it is very significant that we found this relationship between dim light at night and increased expression of TNF.”

The scientists found that blocking the effects of TNF with a drug prevented signs of depression in the hamsters, though some other indicators in the structure of the brain were unaffected.

For instance, hamsters that were exposed to dim light at night still showed a much reduced density of dendritic spines – hairlike growths on brain cells that are used to send chemical messages from one cell to another.

The overall symptoms of depression were reversible, the researchers said. Those hamsters returned to a normal light-dark cycle saw both their TNF levels and the density of their dendritic spines return to normal after about two weeks.

“The good news is that people who stay up late in front of the television and computer may be able to undo some of the harmful effects just by going back to a regular light-dark cycle and minimizing their exposure to artificial light at night,” Bedrosian said.

Many of us wouldn’t consider the impact of our handbag on our health, however research suggests this essential fashion item could be more risky than you think. As our handbags tend to travel most places with us and are often placed on floors, they can easily pick up germs throughout the day.

A study by microbiologists tested swabs taken from the outside and bottom of handbags and found that your handbag could contain thousands, or even millions, of bacteria, including fecal bacteria and viruses that can cause colds and stomach upsets. However, when it comes to your handbag, it’s not just what’s on the outside that counts. Here are five health dangers lurking in your handbag.

Handbag health hazard 1: Water bottles

Many of us carry a bottle of water in our handbags to stay hydrated throughout the day. However, while drinking water is great for our health, repeatedly drinking from plastic bottles could play havoc with your health. Studies have suggested that dangerous chemicals called phthalates contained in the plastic can leach into the water over time, which may lead to hormone imbalances and fertility problems. The concentration of these chemicals also increases the longer a bottle is stored.For a safer way to stay hydrated, try switching to a different type of water bottle. Glass bottles are a healthier solution and can be wrapped in a protective silicone sleeve, or try using a metal bottle such as stainless steel or aluminum if you are concerned about breakages.

Handbag health hazard 2: Makeup

If, like many women, your handbag is packed with various mascara tubes, makeup brushes and lipsticks, it may be time to have a handbag clearout. Just as it’s important to throw out old food once it’s past its sell-by date, makeup should also be thrown away and replaced after a certain period of time as it can go off and harbor bacteria, particularly in the case of mascara.

Mascara can harbor bacteria that is transferred into the product after each application and which can reproduce in the dark, warm environment of the mascara tube. Make sure you throw out mascara after six months to avoid eye infections and replace other products after roughly 18 months. To further prevent the build-up of bacteria, wash makeup brushes regularly and avoid sharing makeup with friends.

Handbag health hazard 3: Used tissues

While many of us wouldn’t admit to it, lots of women are guilty of wiping their nose while on the go and then stuffing the used tissue or hanky inside their bag. However, the viruses that cause colds and the flu are fairly robust and can survive on tissues for significant periods of time.

Although you may be the only person using your handbag, it is still easy to spread these germs to others. Every time you rummage through your bag your fingers can come into contact with the germs on used tissues which can then be spread to surfaces such as door handles and stair rails and easily passed on to others. When you blow your nose, make sure you throw your tissue away as soon as possible, then wash your hands or use a hand sanitiser.

Handbag health hazard 4: Mobile phone

Mobile phones have always been a source of controversy when it comes to our health, with studies suggesting a link between mobile phone use and health conditions such as brain tumours, and the World Health Organisation admitting that they may cause cancer. However, other experts have suggested that there is no evidence of this and more research is needed.

Aside from these potential serious health dangers, a study of mobile phones in Britain also found a more immediate danger associated with mobile phones, with their results showing that one in six mobile phones were contaminated with faecal matter. A condition known as “texter’s thumb” is also a potential danger for regular mobile phone users, with Virgin Mobile stating that mobile phones are the cause of a reported 3.8 million cases a year of repetitive strain injury.

Handbag health hazard 5: Heavy items

While the items in your handbag may all be innocent enough, an accumulation of heavy items such as books, gadgets and cosmetics can add up to a serious health hazard. With the rising number of items many of us feel the need to haul around, you could be carrying around several pounds of weight on your shoulders every day.

While you may not feel the effects of this immediately, lugging around a heavy handbag can have serious implications on your body and can eventually lead to serious back problems and neck pain as well as poor posture. To look after your health, try switching to a smaller bag and filling it only with the items that you feel are really necessary each time you leave the house.

There was an old farmer who lived in a village. He had four sons, o were lazy and idle. They often quarreled among themselves. The old man was very much annoyed with it.

So he called his four sons and told them that since his end was near, he wanted to teach them a lesson. So he told them that since his end was near, he wanted to give them a useful piece of advice.

He sent for a bundle of sticks, it was brought. He asked all his sons turn by turn to break the bundle of the sticks. All tried hard, but none of them was able to break the bundle.

Then he asked one of them to untie the-bundle. This was also done immediately. Then he asked each of them to break the sticks individually. Now each one succeeded in doing so.

The old farmer then said to them, “If you live together in peace, none can harm you. But if you are divided, you will lose.”

Once two merchants lost a camel. They met a traveller and asked him if he had seen it. The man replied he had not.” But was your camel blind in the right eye?” Said he to them.

“Yes, he was”, replied the merchants. “Was it lame in one left foot?” The man asked again. “Cer­tainly it was”, said the merchants.

“Was its front tooth missing”? said he to them.” Indeed I” said they. “Was it loaded with honey on one side and with wheat on the other?” “That is just how it was loaded,” they answered. “Please take us to it.”

“But I have not seen your camel,” said the man “and I do not know where it is” the merchants got angry and said, “Then how could you tell us so exactly everything about our camel?” “That is my secret” said the man.

The merchants took him to the king who asked him where the camel was. The man replied that he had not seen it. At this the king asked him how he knew so much about it.

The man answered that the camel had eaten grass only on the left side of the path. So he knew that it was blind.

The marks of its one left foot were faint. This showed that the camel was lame. While eating grass, it had left a little turf in the middle.

So he learnt that it had lost front teeth. There were ants carrying grains of corn on one side of the path and flies eating honey on the other. The king was satisfied with his explanation and let him go.

A bee once unfortunately fell into a river with a flow. It was being swept away by the strong waves of water.

A dove was sitting on a branch of a tree at that time. Its eyes fell upon the bee and saw that it was in sorry plight. Taking pity on the bee, it at once plucked a broad leaf and threw it near the bee.

The bee climbed on the leaf, dried its wings and flew away. It was full of gratitude for the good-natured and generous dove.

After a few days the bee noticed a cruel hunter taking a careful aim with his gun at its benefactor.

The dove’s life was in danger. Realizing this grave situation, it flew directly to the hunter’s hand, settled lightly on it and stung him as he was just to shoot. The hunter missed the aim. He cried with pain. In the meantime the dove flew away

The bee had made a good return for the help of the dove.

Once it so happened that there was a beautiful contest between the sun and the wind. It was to see which of the two was stronger than the other.

The wind was very proud of itself and its prowess. It said, “Even the mighty clouds bow before me. They know that I can drive them away.

And the clouds can envelop you. So you are a small thing before me.” The sun said, “It is the time that will tell you who is stronger of the two.”

Soon they saw a man who was wearing a coat. The sun said, “Let us see who makes the man to take off his coat.”

The wind tried first. It blew harder and harder. But the man instead of removing his coat, wrapped it more and more. So, the wind failed.

Now it was the turn of the sun to try its strength. It began to shine. It became hotter and hotter.

Fiercer and fiercer. Ultimately, the man felt obliged to remove the coat. The wind lost and the sun won.