Natural Sleep Aid Also Fights Cancer

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

Imagine a world where you could get a good night’s sleep and fight cancer at the same time.

Seems impossible, right?

Well, according to some new research, this not only a possibility, it’s already happening.

You see, there is a naturally occurring hormone that can help you get rejuvenating sleep while also protecting you from a certain type cancer — one that affects hundreds of thousands of American lives every year — breast cancer.

--Killer Sleep 

Recently, a team of scientists from Michigan State University discovered that melatonin, a hormone typically associated with sleep, is also helping your body fight breast cancer.

Melatonin is produced by the brain exclusively during night hours and helps to regulate sleep cycles. Lack of sleep is considered to be a risk factor for many diseases, yet few studies have been able to confirm this.

Until now…

For the experiment, the researchers grew breast tumor cells called mammospheres in a lab.

The growth of some of these cells was accelerated by known breast cancer boosters like the hormone estrogen and estrogen-like chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA) — the nasty stuff in plastic food packaging.

Exposing mammospheres to melatonin significantly decreased the number and size of these cells when compared with cells that weren’t exposed to melatonin. 

And what’s even more incredible… when the cells were exposed to BPA or estrogen while they were being treated with melatonin, there was an even greater reduction in the size and number of the tumor cells. 

This means that since our bodies naturally produce melatonin, they may also already possess the key to killing cancer!

However, things like poor sleep, unhealthy diet and exposure to dangerous chemicals can alter your systems, encourage disease in your body and render your natural cancer defenses useless.

That’s why research like this is vital to helping us discover how to diagnose and treat diseases.

David Arnosti, MSU professor and study director, explains this further: “You can watch bears in the zoo, but you only understand bear behavior by seeing them in the wild. Similarly, understanding the expression of genes in their natural environment reveals how they interact in disease settings. That’s what is so special about this work.”

These results have given scientists a solid start to furthering research about melatonin’s effects on cancer. Plus, it puts a finer point on how sleep deprivation can lead to disease.

Treatments based on this research are still years away.

In the meantime, adding more melatonin to your bedtime routine can help you sleep better and, as this research shows, may even help you kill cancer.

Melatonin supplements are available over the counter, and melatonin is often a key ingredient in many natural sleep aids.

Live well,

Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily


Sources

[1] Curcumin Sensitizes Silymarin to Exert Synergistic Anticancer Activity in Colon Cancer Cells

[2] Breast Cancer Statistics

Natalie Moore

Written By Natalie Moore

Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.

View More Free Articles

Scientists Discover Hidden CAUSE of Stubborn Diabetes

If, despite diet and exercise, you’re struggling to control type 2 diabetes, this might be the most important thing you read this year. New research uncovered a microscopic malfunction in muscle cells—and it could be sabotaging your body’s response to insulin. The most shocking part? It has nothing to do with your diet, weight, or...

Read This

Mailbag: 7 Natural Allergy Fighters That Won't Leave You Drowsy

“I have a really bad allergy and take an antihistamine every 3rd day because they are bad for your health.  I really need to take one a day but I suffer so I will not overdo it. Is there anything out there that is natural that really works? Thank you,” Sneezy and Allergic Hi Sneezy, It’s...

Read This

Eat 23 of These Daily to SLASH Heart Risk [DELICIOUS!]

When it comes to heart health, we’re constantly told what we need to cut out. You know the drill—ditch the salt, dump the sugar, and avoid the processed foods. But what if I told you that adding something to your diet could be just as effective for protecting your heart? A comprehensive new scientific analysis...

Read This

"Yellow Devil" Fruit CRUSHES Blood Pressure Better Than Meds

I have a confession to make. I hate bananas. Even the smell of them causes my stomach to flip. The funny thing is that I have an uncle and a daughter who are the same—so I wonder if it’s genetic. But even though I consider them the yellow devil of the fruit world, I recommend...

Read This

50-Cent Nutrient Puts the Brakes on Aging

Scientists discovered a remarkable “anti-aging” solution hiding in plain sight. It isn’t some exotic compound from a remote rainforest or an expensive laboratory creation. It’s a nutrient you can find at any pharmacy for less than the cost of a cup of coffee. The trouble is, most seniors aren’t getting enough of it, which researchers...

Read This

The Hidden Brain Risk Lurking in Your Living Room

If you’re reading this while settled into your favorite chair, you might want to consider standing up… New research uncovered something that might surprise you. Sitting too much can literally shrink your brain. But it gets worse… We all know being sedentary isn’t good for our health. However, researchers at Vanderbilt University uncovered something alarming....

Read This

“Biohack” Your Life Like a Billionaire?! Here’s How

You’ve probably seen the headlines about the billionaire who spent millions on “biohacking” to try to make himself younger. He measures hundreds of biomarkers and pops dozens of pills daily. And he’s undergoing experimental treatments that cost more than most folks’ houses. It may have left you wondering if regular people like you and I...

Read This

Do THIS Daily to Improve Strength, Flexibility, and Endurance

For any couch potatoes out there… I have some exciting news. If you’ve been avoiding exercise because you hate the gym or don’t have the time, that might be about to change. A groundbreaking study reveals how a few simple moves, done daily in your own home, could dramatically improve your fitness—even if you’ve skipped...

Read This

Mailbag: A Post-Prostate Cancer Blueprint for a Better Recovery

“My son just got his prostate removed because of cancer. He is doing well and recovering. My question is there any information you can forward with regards to his lifestyle? Are there things he should not eat, things he should be eating, is social drinking a risk, any vitamins that should be on his list?...

Read This

The Stroke-Boosting Threat Lurking in YOUR Arteries

We want to take a moment on this Memorial Day to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. Their courage, dedication, and selfless commitment to protecting our freedoms will never be forgotten, and their legacy lives on in the country they helped preserve. I’ve warned you...

Read This