We’ve all heard phrases like “sleep when you’re dead” or “grind while they sleep”.
Yes, from hustle culture to the everyday work grind, sleep has been connected to a form of weakness. I’ve been “sleep-shamed” myself – personally, I don’t see the problem with napping and sleeping in. But getting ample sleep is just as important as the food we put in our bodies, seeing a physician regularly, or getting annual screenings.
According to research, adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. I’m sure you chucked a bit at that statistic, because how many of us live a life that allows us to consistently get at least six hours of sleep, let alone nine? I am fortunate if I get five hours of sleep straight a night with my almost six-month-old.
But getting less than seven hours of sleep a night consistently increases risks of not just weight gain and an impaired immune system, it also increases the threat of cancer. According to studies, even a moderate lack of sleep can increase cancer risk. In fact, overnight workers are at an even higher risk for cancer, due to disruption of the body’s production of melatonin at night.
So what are some ways a good night’s sleep reduces our cancer risk?
When we get the right amount of sleep, Cortisol (the stress hormone) is regulated, which controls how our bodies deal with stress. When we aren’t getting enough sleep, cortisol levels can remain high for longer periods of time, stressing the body and its response to dangerous cancer-causing cells.
Getting enough sleep not only boosts the body’s immune response to viruses and bacteria but to rogue cancer cells as well. Natural killer (NK) and T cells destroy potential cancer cells before they proliferate in the body.
RELATED: The Secret to a Good Night’s Sleep: “Get in Touch With Your Body”
When we get the right amount of sleep, Cortisol (the stress hormone) is regulated, which controls how our bodies deal with stress, inflammation, metabolism, blood pressure and blood sugar. Hormone imbalances from lack of sleep increases risk of Thyroid disease, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in women and promotes chronic inflammation.
Adequate sleep promotes digestive microbiome balance. This way, good and bad bacteria coexist in the gut and the body absorbs nutrients properly. When sleep is irregular or lacking, risk of cancer increases due to nutrient absorption deficiency, which in turn starves the immune system and reduces cancer-killing cell efficacy.
RELATED: 7 Reasons Why You Can’t Sleep
Getting enough sleep at night allows the body to repair ultraviolet (UV) ray damage from the sun. Black and brown people tend to develop skin cancers in more conspicuous areas, such as finger and toenail beds and the bottoms of our feet. Add that to regular insufficient sleep, and the risk of developing and dying from skin cancer are nearly as high as our white counterparts.
We all know that the grind doesn’t stop. We gotta grind now, sleep later, let them sleep while we grind – all of that. But the takeaway is this: hustle culture can increase your risk of cancer and kill you – if you let it.
So the next time you’re tempted to drink another cup of extra-strong coffee to bang out one more overtime shift, to keep your overnight shift because the pay is better – even to stay up past midnight to binge one more episode – rethink it, and put your body first. Because the reality is, if you aren’t getting a good night’s sleep now, you really will “sleep when you’re dead.”
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