Compensation for Night Shift Cancer Victims

The BBC reports the the Danish government is to pay compensation to some women who developed breast cancer after long spells of shift work. The move comes after publication of research suggesting a possible link between the two in some cases.

Anyone who's had to do shift work knows that it's difficult and can cause all sorts of sleep problems. Recently the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of of the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), went further and classed night working as a "probable" cause of cancer. The hypothesis is that night working can suppress the production of melatonin and in doing so increases the risk of cancer.

Not all Danish shift workers who developed cancer will get compensation. Some with a family history of cancer have already had their claims rejected.

Green Bedding Standards Initiative Announced

Environmental issues are increasingly of importance when we decide which products to buy. Examples of this in the bedroom include organic bed linens, environmentally friendly memory foam, etc. One problem for consumers has been the lack of any clear definition of terms like "green", making it difficult to compare buying choices.

Now the US Specialty Sleep Assoication (SSA) has announced a "green initiative" to introduce industry wide standards for environmental labelling of products such as mattresses, box springs and pillows. The SSA has joined the Sustainable Furnishings Council and plans to such terms as "green", "natural", "all-natural" and "organic".

SSA President Dale T. Read said:

"While we laud the overall movement towards environmentally-friendly sleep products, we are aware that there is a green washing taking place at retail, with every manufacturer and supplier using its own definitions of what is green, sustainable or natural. This is causing a tremendous amount of confusion with consumers and we as an industry must take a leadership role in creating a uniform set of standards and definitions"

The final set of standards is expected to be ratified by summer 2009

Napping Linked to Diabetes

New research has shown a link between taking lunchtime or afternoon naps and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The work by researchers from the University of Birmingham was presented at Diabetes UK’s Annual Professional Conference in Glasgow. The researchers studied over 16,000 people and found that those who napped had a 26 per cent greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes compared to those who never napped.

This doesn't necessarily mean that napping causes an increase in diabetes risk. Other factors such as reduced physical activity and short night time sleep duration may be connected with both napping and diabetes.

Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said:

""We already know that people who are overweight or obese, and therefore more at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, can have problems sleeping. This new research could be another step towards explaining the possible link between disturbed sleep patterns and Type 2 diabetes.

"However, in terms of being major risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, disturbed sleep or napping are likely to remain less significant than already established risk factors such as being overweight, being over the age of 40 or having a history of diabetes in the family."