Lost sleep can cause ulcers
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• Truck drivers working nightshifts or missing sleep may have an increased risk of developing peptic ulcers.
Scientists at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne have found that levels of a key protein associated with healing damage to the wall of the gut fluctuate depending on the time of the day or night.
The fact that the body produces this protein in line with the Circadian rhythms, which control when people sleep and wake up, means that those who disrupt those rhythms such as truckers working nights could be missing out on vital healing the stomach needs. Previous studies have linked sleep disruption with a higher incidence of gastro-intestinal upsets—and stomach ulceration has been strongly linked with an increased risk of gastric cancer.