A health tip for cancer patients: Get plenty of sleep. Doctors have
known for a while that people with cancer live longer if they have a
strong social network, but they are not sure why. David Spiegel, a
researcher from Stanford University Medical Center, suggests that sleep
may be the link.
Socially isolated cancer patients may develop bad sleeping habits,
altering both circadian rhythm and the hormones associated with sleep,
argues Spiegel in a study published in the October issue of
Brain, Behavior and Immunity. Those with a strong
social network tend to sleep better.
Sleeping patterns influence levels of the hormones cortisol and
melatonin, which both appear to slow the progression of cancer.
Cortisol normally reaches its peak levels at dawn, declining slowly
during the rest of the day. Yet for those who have trouble sleeping,
cortisol peaks in the afternoon. Spiegel found that those with a
disrupted cortisone rhythm died earlier than cancer victims who slept
regularly.
Melatonin is an antioxidant that destroys cancer-causing free
radicals. With less sleep, the body makes less of the hormone.
Additionally, melatonin influences the production of estrogen. In breast
and ovarian cancers, exposure to more estrogen speeds the growth of
tumors.
Spiegel notes that that there is still much to learn about sleep
and its relationship with cancer. But, with chemotherapy or radiation,
maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an important part of treatment.
"Taking good care of your body, doing everything your grandma told
you to do--eat well, sleep well, get plenty of exercise--is especially
good for cancer patients," says Spiegel.
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