Everyone knows that sleep is utterly necessary for restoring and renewal, but did you know that there is a connection between longer sleep time and a reduced occurrence of breast cancer?
A study described in the October, 2005 issue of the journal Cancer Research explained how women, who slept longer than most, experienced a 31% reduction in the risk of breast cancer as compared to average sleepers.
This investigation involved 12,222 women volunteers who answered to one or more questions regarding the length, quality and adequacy of the sleep they got. The researchers also secured the breast cancer data from 1976 to 1996 for the study. For the period spanning the 30 years, 242 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed. After reading the study results, I thought that it was interesting that women who were considered to be lower breast cancer risks were outperformed by women who slept longer than normal. They were actually outperformed by 31%!
The writers of this study theorized that the relationship between sleep and breast cancer were linked to the changes in melatonin and additional hormonal rhythms. They also conceded that the more artificial light you were exposed to at night, the more your melatonin levels were decreased. This may, according to the study, increase your chances of breast cancer. Additional studies into women who worked night shifts and women who had lost their sight seemed to support this theory.
I use to feel very guilty about sleeping in—not anymore!