| You may have heard some alarming health news | | | | chance to connect with UV sunlight rays, and |
| recently, about how working the 'graveyard shift' | | | | vitamin D levels. |
| may increase your odds for developing breast or | | | | 5. Amount of emotional stress levels in relation to |
| prostate cancer. This story is based on recent | | | | unresolved personal issues. |
| research, over the last 20 years, that does, | | | | All of those key factor risks, and many others, as |
| indeed, find an increased rate of breast cancer | | | | well as a wider variety of test subjects need to |
| among women who work at night. But, please | | | | be extensively studied. Most of the current, light |
| keep in mind that high cancer rates, that have | | | | at night research studies, so far, have only been |
| been newly discovered in night workers, does not | | | | performed on the nursing profession and airline |
| prove that nighttime work, alone, causes one to | | | | crews. |
| get cancer. | | | | What researchers are suggesting, though, is that |
| It is estimated that about 20 percent of the work | | | | there seems to be a rather complicated system, |
| force in technologically developed countries work | | | | of some sort, to lower levels of melatonin and |
| the night shift. One of the first people to spot the | | | | serotonin in correlation to rotational, and night, |
| night shift-cancer connection was Richard | | | | shift workers. Melatonin is a endocrine system |
| Stevens, a cancer epidemiologist and professor at | | | | hormone produced by the pineal gland that helps |
| the University of Connecticut Health Center. In | | | | induce sleep, and is gradually released after dark. |
| 1987 he published a paper suggesting that there | | | | The pineal gland is located deep in the center of |
| may be a a direct correlation to light at night and | | | | the brain behind the center point in the forehead |
| breast cancer. | | | | between the eyes, and is known to have a |
| Stevens says, "suspiciously, the incidence of | | | | reaction to sunlight exposure. It is believed that |
| breast cancer rates shot up, starting in the 1930's, | | | | sunlight exposure coming in through the eyes for |
| where industrialized cultures considered it | | | | approximately 20 minutes a day, without |
| advantageous to progressively increase one's | | | | contacts, eyeglasses, or sunglasses appears to |
| income". | | | | play an important role in the releasing of |
| At the time of Steven's first observations, most | | | | melatonin. |
| medical research scientists considered the link, | | | | Clearly, when normal sleep/wake (also called |
| between light at night to increased breast cancer | | | | circadian rhythm) cycles are interrupted with |
| rates, to be pretty weird and wacky. However, | | | | artificial lighting at night there may be a steep |
| over the last 20 years, ongoing research on this | | | | health price to pay, for the sake of earning a |
| disturbing news has continued. There is some | | | | living. Long-term supplementation with melatonin is |
| compelling evidence that indicates that men | | | | not advisable, either, as it may eventually |
| working the night shift may also have an | | | | interfere with your body's ability to produce it on |
| increased risk of developing prostate cancer. | | | | its own. Use, instead, one of melatonin's safer |
| It is also interesting to note, that in laboratory | | | | precursors like L-tryptophan or |
| research studies with test animals, evidence of | | | | 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Be advised , that |
| the light at night theory, supported Steven's | | | | L-tryptophan is only obtainable by prescription, |
| original idea. When light/dark schedules were | | | | however, do not let that intimidate you as it is |
| purposely disrupted, the animals developed more | | | | only a simple amino acid. |
| cancerous tumors and died prematurely. | | | | As an employer you may consider it financially |
| Since the 1980's, the cancer connection to artificial | | | | necessary to use night shifts to voluntarily |
| light at night has received quite a bit of attention. | | | | maximize your company's profits. But, you may |
| There seems to be enough evidence to support | | | | also want to consider employee medical health |
| the notion that there is a questionable pattern of | | | | insurance liabilities, and productivity, too. There |
| increased cancer rates in night, and rotational, shift | | | | might just possibly be lower health insurance rate |
| workers. | | | | incentives offered for installing healthier, natural |
| If you are a night worker do not panic, and | | | | spectrum lighting systems in work station areas, |
| determine that you simply must abandon your | | | | This may help you save even more money, by |
| current job for personal health safety reasons. | | | | lowering your energy costs as well. |
| Also, consider that these ongoing studies are only | | | | If you are a rotational, or night, shift worker, |
| one small piece of evidence to a very large | | | | sleeping in a darkened room is a must. Do |
| puzzle. There are many other risk factors | | | | whatever it takes to eliminate, or reduce, light |
| involved in developing cancer. In all fairness, other | | | | from entering your sleeping environment. You can |
| known cancer risks should also be evaluated into | | | | also improve the quality of your sleep by learning |
| this equation as well, like: | | | | how to practice better sleep hygiene habits. Visit |
| 1. Lifestyle choices such as exercise habits, | | | | the mercola natural health website and type in the |
| substance abuse problems, or drug addictions | | | | search box, '33 secrets to a good nights sleep'. |
| 2. Daily dietary food and beverage intakes. | | | | Above all, listen to your body, if working after |
| 3. Sleep deprivation problems such as insomnia | | | | dark is causing you various health problems, pay |
| and depression. | | | | close attention! Treat your symptoms with care, |
| 4. Amount of exposure time that bare skin has a | | | | put in for a shift change, or find another job. |