The sleep-breast cancer connection

In your lifetime, you have a one in eight chance of developing invasive breast cancer.

In fact, this year, over 252,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with another 63,000 plus new cases of non-invasive breast cancer.

This means that about 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be cancers of the breast.

And, of these women, over 40,000 are expected to die in 2017 from breast cancer, making it the most deadly cancer for women just after lung cancer.

Even scarier is the fact that after you go through all of the surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy to become cancer-free, the five-year survival rate can still be as low as 22% depending on the stage of the cancer.

So, it’s vital that you look beyond drug therapy and doctor’s visits alone to increase your chances of recovery and avoiding cancer.

And, one of the secrets to living longer following breast cancer may just surprise you.

A surprising way to survive after breast cancer

We all know that getting adequate sleep each night not only helps us focus better, it also boosts our immune systems, protects us from infection and even lowers our risk of heart attack.

But, is there such a thing as too much sleep?

When it comes to living longer following breast cancer, it looks like the answer is YES!

In fact, new research is revealing a startling link between the amount of sleep you get and your post-cancer life expectancy.

And, the results are probably not what you think.

According to the study performed at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, women with breast cancer who sleep at least nine hours a night may be more likely to die from their tumors than patients who get just eight hours of rest.

Compared to women sleeping eight hours a night, women who slept at least nine hours were 46 percent more likely to die of breast cancer, the study found. And, after up to 30 years of follow-up, the women who got too much sleep were also 34 percent more likely to die of other causes than the women who slept less.

But, too much sleep may not be the only problem.

Women who experienced sleep difficulties, like struggling to fall or stay asleep were also 49 percent more likely to die from all causes than women who rarely or never had these issues.

How much is enough?

Based on the data from this new study, it’s clear that both too much sleep along with other sleep problems could have a significant negative impact on your chance of surviving breast cancer and possibly other cancers as well.

And, while you do want to get adequate sleep to allow your body to heal, your goal should be a solid eight hours a night, not more.

Also, to reduce your chance of sleep problems, including insomnia or the anxiety that keeps you awake at night, consider adding these supplements to your bedtime routine.

Melatonin – 1 to 5 mg per night can help you fall asleep more easily
Valerian – 160 to 320 mg increases the neurotransmitter, GABA, in your brain to decrease insomnia
Lemon balm – 80 to 150 mg combined with valerian root, helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep

Getting the sleep you need can drastically increase your chance of survival following breast cancer. Just remember to think of it like Goldilocks and the Three Bears — not too much, not too little, but just right.

Editor’s Note: Did you know that as many as 91 percent of oncologists would refuse conventional treatment if they faced a cancer diagnosis? They would never tell you this, but many would pursue natural treatments … to discover what these natural treatments are, and how you can fight and prevent cancer with vitamin C and other natural cancer fighters like you’ve just read about, click here for Dr. Michael Cutler’s exclusive guide to fighting and surviving cancer.