How dangerous is insomnia: 4 types of cancer can occur as a result of lack of sleep

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Research shows that four different types of cancer can occur as a result of chronic sleep disturbances in humans – in particular, insomnia.

Scientists continue to study the effects of chronic lack of sleep on the human body and the direct connection between insomnia and susceptibility to cancer diseases. To date, the results of their research claim that insomnia can be associated with the development of four types of cancer.

Specialists of the Sleep Advisor health platform note that it is primarily about the danger of chronic lack of sleep. According to experts, the human body cycles through light, deep and rapid sleep during the night, and each stage is very important. Sleep disturbances are usually associated with skipping some stages or its insufficient duration – the consequence of this can be physical, emotional, cognitive problems (including those that increase the risk of developing cancer).

“Insomnia is associated with high blood pressure, the progression of neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease. Over time, poor sleep can also contribute to unhealthy habits that can damage the heart, including high levels of stress, less motivation to be physically active, and unhealthy food choices.”

As for the role of sleeplessness in cancer development, researchers believe that systematic lack of sleep can contribute to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, reduced melatonin levels in the body, and excessive cortisol production. These factors have a certain influence on the risk of developing tumors. For example, an observational study of more than 75,000 postmenopausal women found that too little sleep (less than five hours) increased the risk of colon cancer.

Another type of cancer for which the risk is increased in patients with insomnia – these are tumors of the thyroid gland. In total, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have linked insomnia to four types of cancer. In addition to the two above, the consequences of lack of sleep, in their opinion, can be breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Scientists emphasize that there are various causes of insomnia, and an important step in overcoming this problem is to identify what exactly disrupts sleep.