Sleep it off: The Basics to getting Good Rest

By Jason Bowers

A key to preventing cancer is a lifestyle that keeps work, rest, and play in proper balance. One of the most important parts of promoting general health, mental well-being, and fighting cancer at the same time is making sure to get proper daily sleep. To assist us in keeping our bodies healthy and cancer free, we must ensure to maintain the
proper work-rest-play ratio.

As a whole, we as a modern society are rewarded for working around the clock, often keeping 80-hour work weeks, traveling often, and taking less time off from work. According the National Sleep Foundation, sleepiness accounts for $18 billion in lost productivity every year. That lack of sleep deprives us of the restorative and rejuvenating powers that are brought to as we slumber, as at no other time does your body take care of itself so completely.

During sleep, white blood cells, responsible for protecting the body against cancerous cells, surge around the body, actively seeking pathogens of any sort and wiping them out. Other protective substances, such as Interferon, Interleukin-2, and melatonin are also produced during sleep. Substances such as these are the very ones used in conventional cancer treatments such as chemo. From a technical standpoint, Interleukin-2 is a cytokine that tells white blood cells where to attack, essentially; it increases significantly during sleep. It also has some effectiveness against ovarian cancer, and current research is looking at its usefulness against melanoma, breast, and prostate cancers. Produced by the body during sleep, Interferon has also been approved by the FDA for leukemia and other diseases. Another cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), has been found to kill at least one kind of cancer (“necrosis” means “death”). TNF increases tenfold during sleep.

Putting aside the technical speak, what can you do to bring about good sleep?

Ensure you have a defined sleep cycle – set a bedtime for yourself, and stick to it. Your natural cycle can be disrupted by artificial light and long working days. Avoid reading, watching TV, or working bed, and try to finish all meals 2-3 hours before crawling under the covers. Your body is primed to sleep between 6 and 10 pm, and starts to get active between 10 pm and 2 am. If possible, avoid sleeping during the day. During the hot summer months, a short nap can be rejuvenating and healthy, but try to keep it short.

Essential oils can be very helpful in promoting healthy rest—try diffusing Peace and Calming or rubbing it on the bottoms of your feet, a practice which can also be used to relieve stress. Rutevala is another good sleep-inducing option.