Scientists warn that this kind of work could damage your DNA

14:24 26.01.2019(updated 14:53 on 26.01.2019) Get a short URL

Scientists believe that oxidative stress, or the imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's ability to neutralize and detoxify or neutralize their harmful effects by means of antioxidants, is one of the main triggers of chronic diseases such as as cancer and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular disease. neurological and pulmonary diseases.

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong, China discovered what they thought was a link between lack of sleep and nocturnal awakening, and damage to the structure of the body. Human DNA.

According to the scientists, whose findings were published in the Anesthesia academic journal, night work in particular makes a major contribution to the oxidative damage of DNA, which strongly contributes to the risk of developing serious chronic diseases.

The authors of the study are based on the results of the experiments they conducted on themselves and on several dozens of their colleagues. In total, the study examined 49 full-time, healthy physicians, aged 28 to 33 years on average, who gave a blood sample after three days of adequate sleep. Doctors who worked at night then took extra blood the next morning as a result of acute sleep deprivation.

The DNA damage, defined by the study as "a change in the basic structure of DNA that is not repaired when the DNA is replicated," is getting worse. were significantly higher among those who worked at night than among their colleagues who worked at night. In addition, researchers found that when they were deprived of sleep, the body's ability to regenerate itself was severely affected.

"Double-strand breaks are especially dangerous because the failure of the repair causes genomic instability and cell death, whereas decay can lead to inappropriate end junction events that generally underlie the oncogenic processes. [i.e. tumor-forming, ed.] transformation, "warned the study.

Overall, night shift doctors demonstrated an increased likelihood of DNA rupture by 30%, with acute sleep deprivation up to one night increasing damage to the patient. 25% DNA.

"This study demonstrates that sleep disturbances are badociated with DNA damage, and broader prospective studies of the relationship between DNA damage and the development of chronic disease are warranted." and methods for relieving or repairing DNA damage related to lack of sleep should be sought "the summary of the study noted.