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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : May 3, 2014 6:13 PM IST
According to a study published in the journal Sleep, good sleep has a protective effect in women with breast cancer.
According to the study, women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, those who sleep efficiently - not necessarily for longer period - are likely to live longer than those who do not get quality sleep, a study indicated. Sleep efficiency refers to the ratio of time asleep to time spent in bed. 'Good sleep seems to have a strongly protective effect, even with advanced breast cancer,' said Oxana Palesh, an assistant professor at Stanford University.
The study involved 97 women with advanced breast cancer (mean age of 55 years). Objective sleep parameters were measured by wrist actigraphy for three consecutive days. It was found that higher sleep efficiency was significantly associated with lower mortality over the ensuing six years. Mean survival was 68.9 months for efficient sleepers compared with 33.2 months for participants with poor sleep efficiency. (Read: Breast cancer causes, symptoms, myths, diagnosis, treatment)
'We were surprised by the magnitude of the relationship between sleep quality and overall survival even after we accounted for medical and psychological variables that typically predict survival,' Palesh noted. There is no association between sleep duration and survival, the findings of the research showed. (Read: 10 tips to detect breast cancer early)
A 10 percent increase in sleep efficiency reduced the estimated hazard of subsequent mortality by 32 percent, further analysis showed. Sleep disruption may lead to diminished immune function or impaired hormonal stress responses that are more directly responsible for the decrease in survival, the researchers indicated.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is a major problem in India. According to Dr Sumeet Shah, 'Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Indian cities, accounting for a staggering 25 to 35 percent of all cancers in women in cities! Even in rural areas, the incidence is steadily rising. In the year 2008, almost 1,15,000 new cases of breast cancer were reported in India, and about 53,000 death due to breast cancer were recorded.' Certainly more awareness is needed and many campaigns have taken place over the last few years. In this mega guide, we'll tell you everything you need to know about the disease.
With inputs from IANS
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