Working the Night Shift Promotes Cancer

By David Gutierrez



(Natural News) The World Health Organization's International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC) is adding working the night shift to a list of
possible
carcinogens, after conducting an analysis of the existing research on the
topic.

The
IARC reviewed studies on night workers, primarily nurses and airline crews, and
found that those who worked overnight were more likely to develop cancer than
those who worked during the day.

"There
was enough of a pattern in people who do shift work to recognize that there's
an increase in cancer," said IARC carcinoma working the Night Shift Promotes
Cancer

By David Gutierrez



(Natural News) The World Health Organization's International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC) is adding working the night shift to a list of
possible carcinogens, after conducting an analysis of the existing research on
the topic.



The IARC reviewed studies on night workers, primarily nurses and airline crews,
and found that those who worked overnight were more likely to develop cancer
than those who worked during the day.

 

"There was enough of a pattern in people who do shift work to recognize
that there's an increase in cancer," said IARC carcinogen classifications
unit head Vincent Cogliano.



Animal studies have shown that animals forced to stay awake at night and sleep
in the light develop more malignant tumors and die sooner than animals with
normal sleep cycles. Research on humans has also linked years of overnight work
among women to higher breast cancer rates, with a similar effect on prostate
cancer in men.



Once factor behind the link may be melatonin, which a hormone that the body
produces primarily at night. Melatonin has a role in regulating the body's
internal clock, and also plays a role in the immune system. Because melatonin
breaks down when the body is exposed to light, workers who sleep during the day
and are active in well-lit places at night may have an excess of melatonin.





In addition, overnight workers tend to be sleep deprived, because it is
impossible to fully reverse the body's internal clock.



"Night shift people tend to be day shift people who are trying to stay
awake at night," said Mark Rea, director of the Light Research
Center at Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute.



Sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of negative health effects,
including suppression of the immune system.



According to Aaron Blair of the National Cancer Institute, switching between
day and night work is even harder on the body than only working at night. Blair
recommends that anyone who has to work at night make an effort to sleep in a
darkened room after work.



"The balance between light and dark is very important for your body,"
Blair said. "Just get a dark night's sleep."gen classifications unit
head Vincent Cogliano.



Animal studies have shown that animals forced to stay awake at night and sleep
in the light develop more malignant tumors and die sooner than animals with
normal sleep cycles. Research on humans has also linked years of overnight work
among women to higher breast cancer rates, with a similar effect on prostate
cancer in men.



Once factor behind the link may be melatonin, which a hormone that the body
produces primarily at night. Melatonin has a role in regulating the body's
internal clock, and also plays a role in the immune system. Because melatonin
breaks down when the body is exposed to light, workers who sleep during the day
and are active in well-lit places at night may have an excess of melatonin.



In addition, overnight workers tend to be sleep deprived, because it is
impossible to fully reverse the body's internal clock.



"Night shift people tend to be day shift people who are trying to stay
awake at night," said Mark Rea, director of the Light Research
Center at Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute.



Sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of negative health effects,
including suppression of the immune system.



According to Aaron Blair of the National Cancer Institute, switching between
day and night work is even harder on the body than only working at night. Blair
recommends that anyone who has to work at night make an effort to sleep in a
darkened room after work.



"The balance between light and dark is very important for your body,"
Blair said. "Just get a dark night's sleep."






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