Staying awake late could lead to breast cancer
Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the cells of the breast. Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer (10.4% of all cancer incidence, both sexes counted) and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. In 2004, breast cancer caused 519,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths).
Breast cancer is about 100 times as frequent among women as among men.
Most of the cancers are likely to be accounted for by family history, smoking, drinking alcohol, diet, medicines, and such reproductive factors as childlessness and having children late. But evidence has been building that electric light during the hours of darkness may be responsible for much of the rest.
Repeated studies have shown that night shift workers such as nurses, call centre workers or air stewardesses are up to 60 per cent more likely to get the disease. Women who stayed up late two or three times a week were also similarly susceptible. Conversely, totally blind women were half as likely to succumb to it.
A number of studies show that light at night interferes with one of the body's greatest natural defences against cancer - melatonin, known as the hormone of darkness.
Melatonin is secreted at night by the pineal gland secrets. Melatonin impedes the growth of cancers and boosts the immune system. However, light stops its production because the body thinks it is daytime thereby stopping melatonin from doing its job.
Also see Can Sleeping 8 Hours Kill You Faster?
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