Sleep and Breast Cancer Survival

Getting your ZZZ’s may be more important than you realize. A new study of women suggests that short sleep duration combined with frequent snoring may impact cancer survival, especially in those with breast cancer.

The analysis involved more than 21,000 postmenopausal women who were diagnosed with cancer during the study follow-up period. They had reported their sleep habits at the beginning of the study.

Results show that women who had reported sleeping 6 hours or less per night and snoring 5 or more nights per week were 2 times more likely to die from breast cancer. They were compared with women who reported sleeping at least 7 hours nightly with no snoring.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults should sleep 7 or more hours per night to stay healthy! Here are 10 tips to help you get more sleep:

• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends or during vacations.
• Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
• Go to bed when you feel sleepy, even if it’s before your bedtime.
• If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed.
• Establish relaxing bedtime rituals.
• Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
• Limit exposure to light in the evenings.
• Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy snack.
• Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
• Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.

Learn more about the study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: Pre-diagnostic Sleep Duration and Sleep Quality in Relation to Subsequent Cancer Survival