SLEEP ~ MELATONIN, CORTISOL & CANCER

If you wish to do your best to keep from being diagnosed with cancer, it is imperative that you realize the importance of proper sleep. Good sleep is as important for your immune system as is fresh air, sunshine, pure water and whole food.

Two of the most important reasons you need proper sleep are the hormones melatonin, which is,(supposed to be), secreted by your body at night, and cortisol, which is ,(supposed to be), secreted during the day. You are welcome to do as much research as you like on these two hormones, but for the purpose of preventing cancer, it is sufficient to know these few things:

Melatonin not only helps you fall asleep and to sleep more soundly, it is of much importance in your body's defense against the development of cancer.

For melatonin to function at its best, you need to sleep in the darkest room possible---pitch black is in fact the very best---and you need to be in bed with the lights out well before midnight. In fact, 9:30 PM would be excellent. But if you can't manage that, then 10 PM is next best. Those hours before midnight are some very choice hours for sleeping. Going to sleep at 10 AM and waking at 6 AM is far better for your health than going to bed at midnight and waking at 8 AM.

Because Cortisol is supposed to be secreted during the day, your best work and life situation so as to get the best hormonal protection against cancer, is to sleep at night, in a pitch black room, if possible, from 9:30 or 10 PM to 5:30 or 6 AM. If you can't make your room pitch black at night using a black-out shade and/ thick curtains, then get yourself a comfortable sleep mask and use it to shut out all light while you sleep.

If you have to work at night, then melatonin and cortisol will not be able to function for you the way they ought to, and research shows that nurses, for instance, who work the night shift, are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than those who work during the day. One study says night workers are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer.

If you must work nights, it's important for you to do as many of the other things mentioned on this blog to protect yourself from cancer as you can. Eat plenty of whole foods, drink plenty of pure water, sleep regular hours, even if you can't sleep at night; get regular, moderate exercise, avoid prolonged, negative stress situations, get regular fresh air and sunshine; if you're overweight, do your best to get down to or as close as possible to your ideal weight, and consider taking the supplements I will be suggesting elsewhere on this blog.

I am going to do some more research on what night shift workers can do to minimize, as much as possible, their chance of developing cancer. Best of health to you!
Elliot