Men's Health 14/16

2 min read

Is Sleep Deprivation Linked with Cancer Risk?

How much sleep do you get on a regular basis?

Your response could indicate more than just exhaustion or a lack of concentration. Sleep deprivation has been connected to the formation of cancer cells in the body.

Researchers discovered there is a link between breast cancer risk and melatonin, a hormone generated by the body to promote restful sleep. When melatonin levels fall, the body creates more oestrogen, which is a proven breast cancer risk factor.

Different research has looked into the link between sleep and other malignancies. Another disease that has been connected to sleep problems is prostate cancer. Men with moderate sleep problems have been proven to have a twofold increased risk of prostate cancer, while men with severe sleep problems are three times more likely to get cancer than men who receive enough sleep each night.

Get enough sleep to restore healthy body function!

We now know that regular, pleasant sleeping habits can help combat the development and spread of serious illnesses, including cancer, in addition to the obvious reasons to sleep well (better mood, healthier immune system, stronger mental capacity). Sleeping well may even reduce the odds of cancer remission, which is a huge relief after a distressing diagnosis.

For those with cancer, their troubles arise from the fact that cancer therapies and anxiety contribute further to poor sleep, which can lead to sleeping problems. Thus, it is important for a cancer patient to have a good sleeping pattern.

If you're having difficulties sleeping, try the following suggestions:

Create a consistent pre-sleep practice that will help you relax.
Avoid consuming too much alcohol or coffee.
Make everyday exercise a priority.
Use relaxation practises such as meditation or yoga to help you relax.

It's critical to obtain enough sleep every night, especially since it's now known that sleep patterns might influence cancer growth and progression. Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, which is concerning. It's also comforting to know that folks at risk of cancer can help fight against the disease by following a good sleep routine. Your immune system will be stronger and your body chemistry will be more balanced if you sleep well. Your ability to fight against growing cancer cells increases tremendously when your hormone levels are balanced, notably in the case of breast and prostate cancer.

9 Signs That You're Suffering From Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome

If you find it difficult to go to bed at a "regular" hour and wake up fatigued, it could be an indication of delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). About 15% of teens and adults have this problem, and many of them refer to themselves as "night owls" since they stay up later than the average person.

DSPS causes your internal clock to operate a little slower than everyone else's. It is a circadian rhythm-related condition. It essentially signifies that your sleep schedule has been changed by two [or more] hours. As a result, you fall asleep later than you should and wake up later than you should.

While this isn't always a problem in and of itself, many persons with DSPS discover that their internal clock is out of sync with the rest of society, causing complications. The main issue is that it may have an impact on your professional and social life. People with DSPS find that their "night owl" lifestyle holds them back, from trying to wake up in time for a 9-to-5 job to feeling sluggish throughout the day.

Here are a few DSPS symptoms that could explain your night owl behaviour.

1. You are not able to go to bed on time

The first and most noticeable symptom of DSPS is that you find yourself wide awake long after everyone else has gone to sleep, instead of going to bed at a normal bedtime. Our sleep and waking cycles are governed by an internal clock in every person's body. Each night, this clock establishes a window of time during which sleep is feasible. It's as if individuals with DSPS have a 'sleep window' on Western Time while everyone else is on Eastern. Sleep will not be feasible until they are in their sleep window.

2. You find it difficult to get up in the morning

Many people find it difficult to get out of bed simply because they are comfortable or sleepy. However, for people with DSPS, the inability to get out of bed can have a significant influence on their lives, making it difficult for them to work traditional nine-to-five employment.

You'd wake up fine on a delayed schedule every day since your circadian cycle is off. However, being compelled to rise when everyone else does makes you miserable.

This is because your normal sleep/wake cycle is set later than most people's. Night owls require the same amount of sleep as day owls; the difference is that the clock cycle is positioned differently (i.e., later). In comparison to the rest of the population's more usual routines, their 'biological clock is delayed.'

3. You're tired and groggy all-day

If you have DSPS, you may find that you sleep well, sleep late, and wake up feeling refreshed on days when you can sleep in – which will usually be late into the morning.

However, if you have to get up early for a job, don't be shocked if you're groggy for the rest of the day. While some people with DSPS might feel well-rested and refreshed if they sleep in a way that suits their bodies, many people with DSPS are fatigued and drowsy all of the time.

This is because, despite only getting a few hours of sleep, your natural sleep pattern is being disrupted by societal obligations, such as having to get up early for work.

4. You require more sleep than everyone else

If your partner feels wonderful after seven hours of sleep, or your roommates are usually out of bed after eight hours, you may start to feel "lazy" in comparison.

However, if you notice that you require more sleep than others, it could be a sign of DSPS. According to certain research, people with DSPS require more sleep on average than the general population, regardless of how much sleep they get. It could be a hint if you require more naps and sleep time than your peers.

5. You have sleep deprivation symptoms

Those with delayed sleep phase syndrome are vulnerable to chronic sleep deprivation because they are often forced to be awake on a regular schedule to get to school [...] or go to work. This implies they're usually working on three to four hours of sleep per night, which is nowhere near the suggested seven to nine hours.

As a result, you may find that you're more prone to accidents, that you forget things easily, that you're clumsy, or that your reaction times are delayed. A history of falls, car accidents or silly missteps can often indicate the need for a DSPS evaluation.

6. Your sleep schedule is causing anxiety

Over time, DSPS can result in "psychological symptoms like depression or anxiety because of the toll it takes on the person’s work, relationships, and self-esteem. And it's all because society expects people to get up early and "rise and shine."

It's rare for bosses, significant others, or friends to realise that a person has very little control over their sleep and how it affects their lives. Those with DSPS don't always know what's going on which makes sleep and living so difficult. This allows negative thoughts, self-hatred, and recurrent worries to infiltrate your mind.

7. Your social life is impacted

Because DSPS is a widely misunderstood sleep disorder, it can cause problems with friends, family, and relationships.

When persons with DSPS are functioning on a separate schedule or forcing themselves to work on a timetable that works for everyone else, everyday connections in relationships are extremely difficult. When a person feels like they can't get it together, it can lead to being fired, breakups, and low self-esteem.

That is until you find ways to adjust your schedule or seek the help of your doctor or sleep specialist, who can help you find ways to overcome DSPS.

8. You'd much rather have a regular bedtime

Due to all of the downsides, you may discover that you prefer to sleep on a regular schedule and go to bed when the rest of the family does. However, try as they might, it simply does not work.

Persons who identify as "night owls" may like staying up late, but this is not an option for people with DSPS. Your entire existence is on hold because of your circadian rhythm.

But keep in mind that this is not the same as insomnia. Most DSPS sufferers can clock six to nine hours of restorative sleep if left to their own devices, such as on a break or vacation, which distinguishes them from insomniacs who struggle to fall asleep even when they want to. The issue is that the restorative DSPS sleep is usually from early morning to late afternoon.

9. You've had symptoms for at least three months

We all go through periods in our lives when falling asleep is difficult due to travel, illness, or stress. These times usually pass, and we find ourselves going to bed at a normal hour once more. The story of those with DSPS, on the other hand, continues.

You can realign your sleep with some assistance.

If you feel this is the case and your DSPS symptoms are causing you problems, the first thing you should do is to contact a sleep specialist. They can provide you with a diagnosis and lead you on the proper path for treatment options, which may include light therapy.

Exposure to bright light in the morning can aid persons with DSPS. Taking a natural supplement such as corn leaves extract in the evening helps to modulate the body's melatonin level, coupled with other healthy lifestyle modifications, can help with DSPS.

It may also be required to adopt a new schedule that better accommodates your night owl tendencies, such as changing your work shifts to have a normal sleep schedule.

Your Body Clock Disruption Can Suck the Life Out of You!

Biological rhythms govern the functioning of every tissue and organ in your body. The so-called body clock ensures that bodily functions execute on time. The 24-hour cycle that regulates the timing of events like eating, sleeping, and temperature is known as your circadian rhythm. This ensures that important biological activities occur regularly.

Many organisms, including humans, animals, fruit flies, and even bacteria, are governed by circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms in people help to synchronise mental and physical systems all over the body. An example: To match the typical time for a meal intake, the digestive system produces proteins, and the endocrine system controls or release hormones to fit according to a normally scheduled energy consumption timing.

What effect does circadian rhythm have on sleep?

The most common use of the term circadian rhythm is in the context of sleep. One of the most obvious and fundamental examples of the relevance of circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle.

During the day, light exposure triggers the master clock to produce signals that help us stay awake and active by generating awareness. As night falls, the master clock begins to produce melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone and then continues to relay signals that help us stay asleep all night.

Our circadian rhythm links our sleep and wakefulness day and night in this way, creating a steady pattern of restorative rest that allows us to do more during the day.

What Happen when your circadian rhythm is disrupted?

When the circadian rhythm is disrupted, the body's processes are unable to work properly.

Serious sleeping disorders might result from a disrupted sleep-wake circadian cycle. A person may struggle to fall asleep, wake up during the night, or be unable to sleep as long as they desire into the morning if their internal clock is not properly signalled. Their total sleep time may be shortened, and their circadian rhythm may be altered, resulting in shallower, fragmented, and poor-quality sleep.

A misaligned circadian clock can disrupt sleep in a variety of ways, including raising the risk of insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness. Given the importance of sleep for productivity and overall health, when a person's circadian rhythm is off, there are typically serious implications.

What does circadian rhythm affect apart from sleep?

While the sleep-wake cycle is one of the most well-known circadian rhythms, these 24-hour internal clocks are essential to nearly all physiological processes.

Circadian rhythms are still being studied, some research has linked them to metabolism and weight loss via blood sugar and cholesterol management. Circadian rhythms also have an impact on mental health, including the risk of psychiatric disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, as well as the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.

Circadian rhythms also appear to have a significant impact on the immune system as well as DNA repair processes that are implicated in cancer prevention. In preliminary research, circadian cycles might influence the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs, and new treatments may be able to use biological clocks to destroy cancer cells.

How to know if you have a disrupted circadian rhythm?

You may have a circadian rhythm disorder if your sleep is disrupted and your timetable is wrong. Experts have identified six warning indicators to look out for.

1. You Fall Asleep Early & Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night

You may have Advanced Sleep Phase (ASP) syndrome if you get sleepy and go to bed sooner than most people, then wake up in the middle of the night unable to go back asleep. With ASP, your body clock is moved forward, causing you to go to bed (about 6 to 9 p.m.) and get up relatively early (around 3-4 a.m.). As you become older, this circadian rhythm disturbance becomes more common.

2. You Can Fall Asleep During Weekends, But Not Weekdays

You may have Delayed Sleep Phase syndrome if you have problems falling asleep on evenings before workdays that require an early wake-up, but not on weekends when you can go to bed and wake up later. DSP is the polar opposite of ASP, in which your body clock is reset, causing you to go to bed and wake up late. Adolescents are more likely to develop this problem.

3. Your Sleep & Wake Time Gets Pushed Back A Little Each Day

You may have Non-24 Hour Sleep/Wake Disorder if you go to bed and wake up a little later each day. Because this illness develops when the light fails to convey the necessary signals to the brain, it usually only affects people who have poor eyesight.

4. You Have An Erratic Sleep Schedule

You may have Irregular Sleep/Wake Disorder which is characterised by unpredictable sleep patterns in which sleep is not consolidated at night but is distributed throughout the day and night. People with neurological disorders, such as dementia and ADHD, are more likely to experience this. Chronic insomnia, drowsiness, and scattered naps rather than long durations of sleep are some of the symptoms.

5. You Work Odd Hours

Those who work shifts and work through the night while resting during the day may have sleeping problems. You may have a Shift Work Sleep Disorder if you have trouble sleeping during the day and staying awake late at night when working shifts. This can cause chronic sleep deprivation and accompany by chronic stress, anxiety or depression. During the coronavirus pandemic, key workers, such as those in the healthcare, utility, and transportation sectors, were not only the most exposed to Covid-19 stress, but they were also more likely to suffer from health-related illness and sleep disorders as a result of shift work.

6. You Can't Fall Asleep When You Travel

Most of us are familiar with the feeling of jet lag, which is also a circadian rhythm problem. You may have a Jet Lag Sleep Disorder if you have problems falling asleep after travelling easterly across numerous time zones or staying awake after flying westbound across multiple time zones. Sleeping becomes more difficult as you visit more time zones, but once you return home, your schedule should revert to normal.

If you think you are experiencing any of these mentioned disorders, you may have a disrupted circadian rhythm. While we don't have complete control over our circadian rhythm, there are some healthy sleep hygiene or supplement aid that can help us re-align our 24-hour sleep cycles.