Disrupted sleep and the risk of prostate cancer

The American Cancer Society estimates that 1 man in 8 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Following skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men.

Researchers have found that factors such as age, race/ethnicity, genetics, or family history raise a man’s risk of getting prostate cancer. Other factors, such as diet, obesity, chemical exposure, and vasectomy, have been studied but the links are not clear. More research is needed.

Now, a recent study examined the relationship between sleep habits and prostate cancer risk.

Investigators used data from the UK Biobank. More than 213,000 individuals were included in the analysis.

Researchers found that people with insomnia had a higher risk of having prostate cancer. The researchers also observed that usually having a nap was associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.

This is not the only study to suggest that men with sleep disorders are more likely to get prostate cancer.

A 2019 study out of Taiwan examined the health records of more than 41,000 patients and found that men with sleep disorders were more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Similarly, a 2013 study that included 2,425 men in Reykjavik, Iceland, explored the relationship between sleep disruption and prostate cancer risk. Men with problems falling asleep and staying asleep were at increased risk of prostate cancer compared to men without disrupted sleep. The authors found this to be true even when they excluded men who rose at night to empty their bladders, suggesting that the sleep disturbance was not caused by the need to void at night.

Better sleep, better health

So, what does this mean for men?

Sleep may be a modifiable factor that could have an impact on prostate cancer risk, but more research is needed to confirm the link.

The studies highlighted in this article have limitations. The results don’t confirm that poor sleep causes prostate cancer, but men who experience poor sleep may want to consider early testing for prostate cancer detection.

If you continue to experience sleep problems, get help from the sleep team at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Medical review by Seema Khosla, MD

Related:

• How sleep disorders affect men’s health
• What keeps men from getting enough sleep?
• How can men sleep better?
• Sleep and breast cancer survival

Authored by:

Kate Robards

The post Studies tie sleep disorders to prostate cancer risk appeared first on Sleep Education.

In fact, a new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine finds that 75% of men say they have lost sleep after staying up “past their bedtime” to play video games, and 62% of men say they have lost sleep due to staying up to drink alcohol.

“It’s important to wind down at the end of a long day, but ideally the chosen forms of relaxation should not come at the expense of sufficient, healthy sleep,” said Dr. Imran Shaikh, a member of the AASM’s Public Awareness Advisory Committee and a sleep specialist in Quincy, Illinois.

To improve quality of sleep, men should limit screen time before bedtime, including video games.

“The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, computers, and TV mimics daylight and affects your internal body clock, which stops you from feeling tired,” said Shaikh. “In addition, the stimulation provided by video games causes you to be more active and awake, making it harder to fall asleep.”

Men should also avoid drinking alcohol too close to bedtime.

“As a sedative, alcohol may help you feel sleepy at first, but it can ultimately cause fragmented sleep or other sleep issues,” said Shaikh.

Most adults should get seven or more hours of nightly sleep to promote optimal health. To help select an appropriate bedtime for your schedule, use the AASM’s online Bedtime Calculator.

The post Many men are losing sleep to play video games and drink alcohol appeared first on Sleep Education.

The link between sleep and masculinity

A 2021 paper in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research examines a possible link between sleep and masculinity. The findings suggest that men who sleep less are seen as more masculine. Also, men who sleep less are judged more positively by society.

The study authors ran several experiments with 2,564 participants in the U.S. In one experiment, the participants were asked to describe a “very masculine or manly” man.” In their description, the masculine man got an average of 33 minutes less sleep than their description of a “not very manly” man.

Leading chronobiologist Dr. Charles Czeisler coined the term “sleep machismo” in a 2006 article in the Harvard Business Review. Dr. Czeisler declared that our work culture glorifies sleeplessness, risking our health and safety. To Dr. Czeisler, “encouraging a culture of sleepless machismo is worse than nonsensical; it is downright dangerous.”

Sleep deprivation is not a badge of honor

A “sleep machismo” culture glorifies sleep deprivation. This idea suggests that sleep deprivation is a sign of strength and dedication.

But sleep deprivation is not something to brag about. Sleep deprivation impacts your mind, mood, memory, and even your ability to resolve moral dilemmas. Sleepiness and fatigue on the job lead to lost productivity, difficulty thinking creatively, and more errors and accidents.

Research has suggested that men are more sleep deprived compared to women. A 2012 survey found that nearly a third (29.2%) of men achieved less than 6 hours of sleep on average each night. However, the AASM recommends that adults get seven or more hours per night on a regular basis.

A “sleep machismo” culture is dangerous and unhealthy. Getting enough quality sleep is important for your physical, mental, emotional, and social health. To support your health, follow these healthy sleep tips.

Medical review by Anne Marie Morse, DO

Related:

• How sleep disorders affect men’s health
• Sleep Works for You

Authored by:

Kate Robards

The post Does sleep deprivation make you more manly? appeared first on Sleep Education.

These are all signs of sleep disorders that are common to men. Most men who have a sleep disorder are unaware of it. Even when they are aware, many times they will not seek help for it. Detecting and treating a sleep disorder can cause a dramatic improvement in your sleep. This will allow you to sleep your best at night and feel your best during the day. The most common sleep disorders that affect men include the following:

Sleep apnea

Sleep apnea occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep. This keeps air from getting into the lungs. This is very common, because the muscles inside the throat relax as you sleep. Gravity then causes the tongue to fall back and block the airway. It can happen a few times a night or several hundred times per night.

These pauses in breathing briefly wake you up and disturb your sleep. This can cause you to be very tired the next day. Men are twice as likely as women to have sleep apnea. Being overweight and having a large neck size also greatly increase your risk. These men have more fatty tissue in their throat that can block their airway.

The primary signs of sleep apnea are daytime sleepiness and loud snoring. Snoring is due to a partial blockage of the airway during sleep. It tends to increase as you age. There is a range of snoring from simple to severe. Simple, primary snoring is “normal” and is mostly harmless. But loud, severe snoring with gasps and snorts is a cause for concern. Many men do not even know that they snore. It is often a spouse or bed partner who detects the loud snoring problem.

Sleep apnea may make it hard for you to think or concentrate during the day. If left untreated, it may also put you at risk of heart or lung disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.

Talk to your health care provider if you snore loudly and are often tired during the day. She may refer you to a sleep specialist to find out if you have sleep apnea. Losing weight and sleeping on one’s side may help in some mild cases of sleep apnea. Severe sleep apnea requires medical treatment.

CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is the most common way to treat sleep apnea in adults. CPAP provides a gentle and steady flow of air through a mask that is worn over the nose. This keeps the airway open and prevents pauses in breathing as you sleep. Surgery or the use of an oral appliance (like a sports mouthguard) may be a better option for some people.

Narcolepsy

If you have narcolepsy, you may experience bouts of extreme sleepiness. It can also cause you to suddenly lose muscle tone. These attacks can happen while eating, walking, or driving. Narcolepsy usually starts between the ages of 12 and 20 and can last for your entire life. It does not get better without treatment.

Talk to your doctor if you are so tired that you feel you might fall asleep at any time. She might refer you to a sleep specialist to find out if you have narcolepsy. Medications can be used to treat narcolepsy and help you have a more normal pattern of being asleep and awake.

Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder

Busy work and social schedules can cause some men to get in the habit of going to bed very late. Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder is when you can only fall asleep a couple hours or more later than normal. This also causes you to have a hard time waking up early in the morning.

Your internal body clock makes you feel sleepy or alert at regular times every day. Everyone’s body has this natural timing system. A consistent habit of staying up and sleeping late can throw off the timing of your body clock. This can prevent you from being able to fall asleep at a decent time.

To correct delayed sleep-wake phase, try to avoid bright light in the late afternoon and evening. Keep the lights in the house dim and make your bedroom dark when you go to sleep. Then get plenty of bright sunlight in the morning and early afternoon. This will help to keep your body clock set at the right time. The key is for your eyes to see the light. They send the signals to your brain that will be used to set your body clock. Your skin does not need to be exposed to the sunlight.

Jet lag disorder and shift work disorder

Your work conditions can also cause you to have jet lag or shift work disorders. Men who often travel long distances by airplane may have jet lag. A long trip quickly puts you in a place where you need to sleep and wake at a time that is different than what your internal body clock expects. Your body clock does not have time to adjust right away to a new location due to the speed of the travel. This makes it very hard for you to sleep well.

Men who work rotating, early morning or night shifts often suffer from shift work. Your schedule requires you to work when your body wants to sleep. Then you must try to sleep when your body expects to be awake. This causes you to have trouble sleeping and to be severely tired.

The use of melatonin supplements has been shown to help some people who have jet lag. Melatonin is a hormone that is released by the brain at night. It seems to play a role in making you sleepy.

Light therapy may also help someone with jet lag or shift work. Light therapy is used to expose your eyes to intense amounts of light. This occurs for a specific and regular length of time. This light is meant to affect your body clock in the same way that sunlight does. Talk to your doctor to see if either melatonin or light therapy might help you sleep better.

Inadequate sleep hygiene

Inadequate sleep hygiene might also be called “bad sleep habits.” It involves the things that you normally do every day. These habits keep your sleep from being refreshing. They can also keep you from feeling alert during the day. These activities are all things that you should be able to control. They include such things as drinking alcohol or caffeine at night, taking long naps during the day, or keeping an irregular sleep schedule. A sleep specialist can use behavioral therapy or sleep hygiene training to help you overcome these bad habits.

Related:

• What keeps men from getting enough sleep?  
• How can men sleep better?  

Authored by:

Thomas Heffron

The post What sleep disorders affect men? appeared first on Sleep Education.

Sleep is one of the pillars of health, along with exercise and nutrition. The more you invest in your sleep, the bigger return you will see in everything else that you do. Sleep is not wasted time. It is a time when your body is actively recharging itself and preparing for the next day. Sleeping well enables you to feel, think, and perform better. It allows you to maximize your time and your energy during the day.

Lack of awareness

Many men simply don’t realize that they need more sleep. They view sleepiness as a positive sign that they must be working hard. They get used to being tired, and they think that’s the way it’s supposed to be. They believe that they just must fight through it.

Every person has their own need for sleep. This need varies from one person to another. On average, most adults need seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well-rested. Many men do not get this much sleep on a regular basis. As a result, they are not able to function at a maximum level of energy and concentration.

The following are signs that you are not getting enough sleep:

• You feel tired and lack energy during the day.
• You have a hard time paying attention.
• You are unmotivated and have trouble “getting going.”
• You are irritable, grouchy or lose your temper easily.
• You start to doze off when you are driving a car.

Full schedules

The list of people, places, and things that can exhaust a man’s time is endless. Family, work, friends, hobbies, and other obligations can quickly fill your day and push you to stay up later than you should. Sleep often isn’t thought of as a priority when weighed against other responsibilities.

The key is to set priorities and balance your time. Take an honest look at your schedule to see if you are doing too much. Some things are more urgent than others. Not everything has to be done today, and not everything has to be done by you. Some things that are important can still be re-arranged so that you make better use of your time. Other things may need to be scaled back so you don’t do them as often or for so long. Still, other things that are not a high priority may need to be eliminated right now. You can always come back to them if you free up more time in your schedule down the road. As you are deciding which activities are important, make sure that sleeping is one of them. Put it near the top of your list, not at the bottom.

Life changes

Life is full of changes that can have a big impact on how you sleep. Some changes you expect, but others catch you by surprise. Negative changes will tend to disturb your sleep the most. But positive changes can affect you too. Along with the excitement, good changes bring new duties and stress that can keep you up at night. Examples of these kinds of changes include the following:

• Getting married
• Having a baby
• Starting a new job
• Moving

Examples of the negative changes that can greatly affect your sleep include the following:

• Losing a loved one
• Losing a job
• Getting divorced
• Being in an auto accident
• Having a major illness
• Having a lawsuit filed against you
• Making a bad investment

These changes can cause you to have feelings of depression. For many men, it begins so slowly that they never become aware that they are depressed. Over time, it can progress to the point where despair is just a normal part of their lives.

Depression can greatly disrupt the quality of your sleep. You might lie in bed tossing and turning late into the night. You also might sleep for a long time with no motivation to get out of bed. As poor sleep progresses, men stop taking care of their bodies in other ways. They stop eating and exercising regularly. They abuse alcohol and drugs. Overall, they may lose their usual interest and pleasure in the normal activities of daily life.

Men are more likely to keep these feelings of depression trapped inside. They don’t often deal with them openly. In some cases, these feelings one day explode in a violent outburst. Depressed men often turn this violence on themselves. Statistics show that men are four times as likely as women to kill themselves.

Many men resist seeking help from a counselor. They fear that people will think something is “wrong” with them. They need to understand that these feelings are perfectly normal. While they are normal, they can also be hazardous to their health. If you are struggling with feelings of depression, then at least start by talking to a spouse, friend, doctor, or minister. Any of them can help you decide if you need to see a counselor. Don’t fight this battle alone.

Bad habits

Men can develop habits that cause bad sleep. The use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine can all affect your sleep. You should avoid these substances in the afternoon and at night. Consuming them too close to your bedtime can keep you from sleeping well.

You may also eat big meals or exercise just before you go to bed. Both habits can also disturb your sleep. This can be hard to avoid if you have a lot going on in the evenings. If needed, you might want to eat a bigger meal at lunch and a smaller meal for dinner. To fit in your workout, perhaps you can try to exercise before work or on your lunch break.

Men also may keep an irregular sleep schedule. They go to bed and wake up at different times every day. This can disrupt your internal body clock and keep you from sleeping soundly. You should try to wake up at the same time every day. This includes weekends and holidays. This will help to keep your internal clock set at the right time. Try to avoid sleeping in later on the weekends to catch up on lost sleep. Instead, go to bed earlier at night when you are tired. You should also keep naps to less than one hour. Be sure to take them in the early afternoon so you are not wide awake at bedtime.

Medical conditions

Aside from sleep disorders, many medical conditions can keep you from being able to sleep well. Some of these are only temporary. A sprained ankle, the flu, or minor surgery will disrupt your sleep for a short while. Other problems may stay with you for the rest of your life. These illnesses and medical conditions become more common as you grow older.

The following are examples of medical conditions that can greatly disturb your sleep:

• Epilepsy
• Asthma and other respiratory diseases
• Heart disease
• Arthritis

Medications used to treat these and other problems can also hinder you from getting quality sleep. Some drugs might make you jittery and keep you up at night. Others will cause you to be very sleepy during the day. Discuss these medications with your doctor. Changing the dose or when you take the drug might make a big difference for you. Always be sure to tell your medical provider if you are having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep throughout the night, or are waking up not feeling refreshed in the morning.

Related:

• What sleep disorders affect men? 
• How can men sleep better?  

Authored by:

Thomas Heffron

The post What keeps men from getting enough sleep? appeared first on Sleep Education.

Some men think that drinking alcohol will help them sleep better. Alcohol makes you sleepy and might help you fall asleep faster. But it is also likely to cause you to wake up during the night. Many people wake up too early after drinking alcohol in the evening. This may be a “rebound” from the use of alcohol. It stays in your system for a long time after you have a drink. To improve your sleep, you should not have any alcohol within six hours of your bedtime. You should also limit how much and how often you drink. The heavy use of alcohol can be harmful to your overall health.

Men sometimes see sleeping pills as the answer to their sleep problems. These drugs can be useful in helping some people sleep better. But pills should not be seen as a long-term solution for better sleep. Doctors rarely prescribe them for more than a few weeks at a time.

You can also find many sleep aids on the shelves of your local drugstore. Most use antihistamine, the same ingredient found in many cold medicines. While they can have a positive effect on your sleep, they can also make you very groggy during the day. They should be used with caution.

You should not depend upon drugs to help you sleep on a regular basis, and you should not take sleep aids without first consulting with your health care provider. Talk to them about other options that will help improve your sleep.

If you have trouble sleeping for more than a month, talk to your health care provider about it. Don’t think that it will just go away over time. She may encourage you to visit a sleep specialist to find the source of your sleeping difficulty. Before going to see a specialist, complete a daily sleep diary for two weeks. The sleep diary will help the doctor see your sleeping patterns. This information gives the doctor clues about what is hindering your sleep and how to help you.

Your sleep is too important for you to ignore the signs of trouble. You have too much to gain by seeking help from a doctor. Don’t put it off. Your sleep will affect the quality of every other area of your life.

Related:

• What keeps men from getting enough sleep? 
• What sleep disorders affect men? 

Authored by:

Thomas Heffron

The post How can men sleep better? appeared first on Sleep Education.

Research has suggested that women tend to get more sleep, on average, than men. Work and family responsibilities can influence time spent sleeping.

A 2012 survey found that nearly a third (29.2%) of men achieved less than 6 hours of sleep on average each night. However, the AASM recommends 7 or more hours of sleep each night for optimal health.

There are many factors, such as hormone production, aging, or social and cultural differences, that influence how men and women sleep.

Many men may not get enough quality sleep each night despite spending enough hours in bed. It may be difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. These may be signs of a sleep disorder.

Men’s health and sleep disorders

When left untreated, sleep disorders can affect men’s health in many ways. Sleep disorders can impact everything from mood to fertility in men. Poor sleep can increase your risk of developing other health issues as well.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more common in men than in women. OSA is a serious sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing during sleep. When you have OSA, the lack of oxygen your body receives during sleep can have long-term consequences for your health. Untreated OSA increases your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and depression.

Studies have found a strong link between OSA and erectile dysfunction. However, according to one study, use of CPAP therapy can reverse the impact of OSA on erectile function.

The amount of sleep you get can have an impact on your health, too. Research has found that men with too little and too much sleep seem to be at higher risk for infertility compared to those who get 7-8 hours of sleep.

Lack of sleep can impact your mood and mental health. Sleep deprivation puts you at a higher risk of having depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

Men are also more likely than women to have REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). RBD occurs when you act out vivid dreams as you sleep. It occurs at a higher rate in people who have Parkinson’s disease or who may develop it later in life.

How can men get better sleep?

Many men may find that they begin to sleep better when they adopt healthy sleep habits. Simple daily habits, such as getting regular exercise, increasing daytime exposure to sunlight, and limiting screen time before bed can all help improve your sleep.

Among these healthy habits is a suggestion to avoid alcohol before bed. While you may think alcohol helps you sleep, it can cause frequent nighttime awakenings. Alcohol use can also worsen the severity of breathing problems during sleep, such as snoring. This is important for men, who are more likely than women to drink excessively.

Poor sleep can have a big impact on men’s health. If you continue to experience poor sleep or suspect you may have a sleep disorder, get help from the sleep team at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Related:

• What keeps men from getting enough sleep?
• What sleep disorders affect men?
• How can men sleep better?
• Many men are losing sleep to play video games and drink alcohol

Authored by:

Kate Robards

The post How sleep disorders affect men’s health appeared first on Sleep Education.