Our breathing function is the most vital aspect of our survival, besides a beating heart. When we are unable to do that well, this can be problematic and lead to a number of various health disorders. One of these is lung cancer. A lack of sleep can both increase our risk of developing lung cancer and worsen the prognosis if it's already diagnosed. 

The idea of cancer can be very alarming and disruptive towards sleep efforts. Sleep health is more important than making sure you aren't grumpy the next day. Getting the recommended number of hours of sleep each day can help reduce your risk of developing some very serious diseases, including lung cancer. Continue reading to find out more about this connection, and what you can do to reduce your risk. 

Circadian Rhythm Disturbance

The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour clock that runs our bodies. It helps to sync our hormones, energy levels, metabolism, etc. Light is the biggest controlling factor of our circadian rhythm, and determines whether we feel sleepy or alert. This is why exposure to light first thing in the morning helps you feel more awake, while dark rooms help you feel more sleepy. 

Certain factors can disturb this, and thus, throw off all of the physiological processes dependent on our clocks. Shift-work disorder is an example of something that can disturb the synchronization of our clock. These are individuals who are up at odd times that don't sync with the tradition sleep-wake cycle that happens at night and during the day, respectively. 

Research has shown that there is a link between cancer (specifically breast cancer) and shift work disorder. However, there could also be an associated risk for developing cancers of the digestive system and lungs. 

Inflammation and Immune System Effects 

A lack of sleep can also lead to increased inflammation and dampen the immune system. Our immune system is the number one fighter against all illnesses, including cancer. Normally, abnormal cells with the potential to become cancer cells are eliminated by the immune system. However, when you are sleep deprived and your immune system operates at a suboptimal level, this can increase the risk for abnormal cells to proliferate aberrantly. 

Inflammation is also rampant with sleep deprivation. This makes inflammatory diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, terrible, but can also weaken your immune system and create hostile environments ideal for cancer growth. Therefore, getting good sleep reduces inflammation and gives you an immune system that is strong enough to fight growing cancer cells. 

Obstructive Sleep Apnea 

OSA is the single greatest threat to lung health. It is a disorder in which the muscles in the back of the throat relax and block the airways at night. The only way to resume breathing is for your body to wake up briefly. This can happen several times per night, leading to intermittent hypoxic states. This can cause cells to release reactive oxygen species, which are very pro-cancer oxidants.

Intermittent hypoxia can also lead cells to become less-differentiated, or more closely resemble stem cells. This is very bad for cancer cells as it allows them to become more aggressive with unregulated growth. 

Hypoxic states can also cause existing tumors to proliferate much more quickly. Researchers theorize that it's due to the fact that the consistent waking up changes the way the immune system responds to cancer cells. They lose some of their ability to identify and fight or destroy cancer cells.

Lung Cancer and Sleeping Lung Function  

For those who have already been diagnosed with lung cancer, sleep can be one of the aspects of life severely affected if breathing function is compromised. Some individuals with lung cancer cannot lie on their back at night and still continue to breathe. Also, those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have trouble with lying flat while sleeping. 

Also, just the sheer fact of having cancer can induce feelings of fear and anxiety. These feelings do not help anyone feel comfortable enough to fall into a deep slumber. This can lead to rumination that ruins sleep, bad dreams, or simply tossing and turning all night long. The lack of sleep then leads to a depressed immune system and worse cancer prognosis. This cycle continues on in a vicious cycle. 

Improving Sleep 

The most important way to improve sleep is to practice good sleeping behaviors. These behaviors should be things that help you relax so you can get a good night's rest. 

Some examples of these activities include taking a warm bath, drinking a warm cup of tea, hanging out with family, reading a book, and stretching or meditating. Whatever it is that you decide to do, you should strive to do them every single day at the same time so your body learns your routine. 

The other part of getting good sleep is to make sure that you have an optimal sleeping environment. This means that your room is completely dark, there are no sounds and it is cool. The ideal target number of hours for sleep is 7-8 hours, and it may help to avoid naps during the day. Learning how to control your pain will also help as sleeping with pain can create a huge disturbance. 

If you have not been diagnosed with lung cancer, but are concerned about your risk, then please pay attention to your sleep. There is data that says fixing intermittent hypoxia can help reduce your risk of cancer. So, if you or your bed partner thinks that you have sleep apnea, it's very important to talk with a physician and get it confirmed. 

Also, maintaining your circadian rhythm by reducing your exposure to light at night can also help. You may not have any control on if you work a night shift, but try to maintain your health as much as possible by getting your recommended number of hours of sleep and using blackout curtains during the day to get some type of rhythm happening.  

If you try all of these tips and you still have trouble sleeping, then please click the orange button below to take a free online sleep test and get in contact with one of our sleep health professionals. 

https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/2018-02-28/is-there-a-connection-between-sleep-and-lung-cancer