To Your Health
February, 2021 (Vol. 15, Issue 02)
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Men: Your Sleep Habits Could Affect Prostate Cancer Treatment

By Editorial Staff

We're learning more every day about the profound influence sleep  has on our health, particularly over time. For men, we're learning sleep habits may be particularly important when it comes to treating a type of cancer only men can suffer from: prostate cancer.

The circadian clock / rhythm is a critical factor in healthy sleep. This biological clock synchronizes our body's operations to the daily cycle: daylight and darkness. When it's disrupted, particularly long term, your health can be compromised. According to the study, which appears in Nature Communications, a circadian clock gene known as CRY-1 appears to reduce the effectiveness of certain cancer treatments for the disease.

The researchers found that when prostate cancer cells were exposed to radiation, it elevated levels of CRY-1. They also found that CRY-1 altered how cancer cells responded to DNA damage, making damaging therapies to treat the cancer less effective. In other words, tumors with high levels of CRY-1 did not respond as well to DNA repair treatments.

While more research needs to be performed, researchers suggest regulating the circadian rhythm – and also perhaps coordinating treatment with it – may hold the key to effective cancer treatment. If nothing else, it's the latest reminder that your sleep habits can impact your health in potentially life-preserving ways. Your doctor can tell you more about the value of healthy sleep and offer tips on how to optimize it. To learn more about the circadian rhythm and why it's so often disrupted, click here.