In India, the number of breast cancer cases is increasing at a rate of 6 per cent annually. Sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and obesity are responsible for this trend. This is according to a survey by the Indian Council of Medical Research. According to experts, a sedentary lifestyle and metabolic health also increase the risk of breast cancer among women. Sleep problems are one of the key factors among these.
What is the connection between sleep problems and breast cancer?
Research from the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research has revealed that sleep disruption also disrupts the body's biological clock rhythm. This rhythm disruption increases the risk of breast cancer among women. When sleep is inadequate or frequently interrupted, melatonin production is also disrupted. Additionally, estrogen hormone levels continue to rise. The immune system is also compromised. All of these factors gradually increase the risk of cancer. This problem is most commonly seen among urban women.
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You can be affected even without a family history of cancer
Many people believe that cancer only strikes if there is a family history of the disease. This does not always happen. Particularly, multiple factors are responsible for breast cancer among women. Primarily, when estrogen hormone levels increase in women's bodies, the risk of breast cancer rises. Now, this hormone level can increase due to various reasons. These include irregular menstruation, not breastfeeding newborns, and an uncontrolled lifestyle. Working late at night, excessive mental stress, and issues like metabolic dysfunction increase the risk of breast cancer.
Obesity is a major cause of increased breast cancer risk
After menopause, obesity is one of the main causes of increased breast cancer. When excess fat accumulates in the body, estrogen hormone levels rise. Primarily, after menopause, estrogen production from the ovaries stops. Then the fat cells produce this hormone. And when this hormone level increases, naturally, the risk of breast cancer will also increase. Therefore, lack of sleep will lead to weight gain, and weight gain will lead to breast cancer.
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Can cancer risk be reduced by changing lifestyle?
Compromising on sleep leads to various problems like obesity, chronic stress, and diabetes. Therefore, it is possible to reduce cancer risk by addressing sleep problems. The habit of going to sleep and waking up at the right time, and uninterrupted sleep, maintains the rhythm of the body's biological clock. As a result, the immune system also functions properly, and stress hormone levels do not increase. Even women's reproductive health remains good. Additionally, if weight is kept under control and junk food is avoided, inflammation in the body can be prevented. This can also help prevent the risk of chronic diseases like cancer.
