Can Poor Sleep Raise Your Cancer Risk? Here’s What Doctors Say

Many of us know that good sleep keeps us fresh and healthy. But did you know that not sleeping well for a long time might also increase your chances of getting serious health problems like cancer? Some doctors and researchers say yes, but they are still studying to be sure.

Sleep helps your body rest, fix itself, and stay strong. When we sleep well, our immune system, which protects us from diseases, works better. But when we don’t sleep well for many nights, our body gets tired and the immune system gets weak. A weak immune system might not catch harmful changes in the body, and this can raise the chance of sickness, even cancer.

American Cancer Society’s researchers have looked at how sleep and cancer may be connected. Here are some things they noticed:

• People who sleep too little (like 4–5 hours) or too much (more than 9 hours) may have a higher chance of getting cancer.
• Sleeping too little might not give the body enough time to rest and repair itself.
• Some people who work night shifts, like nurses or factory workers, may have a higher risk of cancer because their sleep routine is disturbed for a long time.
• A big study in England found that older people who didn’t sleep well had a slightly higher risk of getting cancer.

But remember, these are early findings. More research is still going on.

What Is Melatonin and Why Is It Important?

Melatonin is a natural chemical made by your brain. It helps you feel sleepy at night. Think of it as your body’s “bedtime signal.” When it gets dark, your brain makes melatonin, and your body knows it’s time to rest.

But if you use your phone or watch TV late at night, the light from the screen can confuse your brain. It might think it’s still daytime and stop making enough melatonin. This can make it harder to sleep. Some doctors say that when melatonin stays low for a long time, it may raise the chance of getting certain types of cancer. But more research is still being done to understand this better.

What Is Sleep Apnoea?

Sleep apnoea is a condition where a person stops breathing for short times while sleeping. Many people don’t even know they have it. Studies show that people with serious sleep apnoea might also have a higher chance of cancer. That’s because the body gets less oxygen, and this might lead to changes in cells.