Another cancer link?

I have always felt that everything out there either causes cancer or prevents it. When someone very important to me was diagnosed with cancer, however, it became a little more important to know how to keep your body healthy.

According to the article, "Late shift work is linked to cancer," there is a new study that suggest that working at night my increase the chances of getting cancer. This sounds like another one of those myths, but there is significant evidence to back it up.

This cancer risk is increased because the circadian rhythm, which is the body's biological clock, is disrupted when people work or are up all night.

"The hormone melatonin, which can suppress tumor development, is normally produced at night," and, "light shuts down melatonin production, so people working in artificial light at night may have lower melatonin levels," states the article.

So what is the answer for changing these outcomes? Some companies are trying different types of lighting to see how that affects their employees. Or maybe the answer just lies in the idea that maybe night workers sleep in a darkened room when they get off their late shift.

For more information on cancer, check out the American Cancer Society.