by Marco Lombardozzi*
It was 2009 when scientists Blackburn, Greider and Szostack won the Nobel Prize for discovering telomerase.
But let's take a step back: in 1971 the Russian biologist Alexey Olovnikov discovered "telomeres", from the Greek tèlos, end, and mèros, part, filaments that are found around chromosomes. Every time a cell divides, all of its DNA must be copied in order to be transmitted to its daughter cells. Chromosomes are found inside the nucleus of cells and telomeres, the ends of chromosomes, serve to protect them. However, every time the DNA is copied, it wears out and shortens. “Think of telomeres as the protective band at the end of strings, which keeps the string or chromosomes from fraying. When this tip becomes too short, it falls off, and the worn-out telomere sends a signal to the cells: 'The DNA is no longer protected.' It's time to die. (Elizabeth Blackburn) Me and my team, Blackburn continues, we discovered that there is a little bricoleur that repairs the tips of chromosomes: it is an enzyme that we called telomerase. Providential, because – in certain conditions – it allows telomeres to lengthen again, thus postponing cell death.
The discovery was sensational and won the Nobel Prize. There are many elements that they shorten telomeres and with them life. Between these insomnia, and stress, which is always anxiety related.
In fact, numerous studies show that people who sleep only five hours a night have shorter telomeres than those who sleep at least seven. The telomeres of chromosomes also tell us that sleep protects the immune system because in people who sleep less than seven hours, among the telomeres that shorten most rapidly are the lymphocytes of the immune system, called CD8. When these cells age, because they are no longer able to replicate, we become more vulnerable to colds and inflammation.
Therefore insomnia it is not just an "unpleasant accident during the night", but it even becomes the cause, scientifically proven, of the shortening of telomeres and, with them, of life.
The same speech it is worth considering the stress that always accompanies you on your travels anxiety.
To maintain a state of health, therefore, a good quantity and quality of sleep is needed, as well as a strong reduction in anxious components, when these take over our life and lead it into a spiral that goes ever downwards. “Doctor, I feel like I’m in quicksand”, “I feel like I’m being swallowed up by a black hole”, are among the typical expressions of those who suffer from chronic insomnia and continuous anxiety.
There are many medications available on the market to improve insomnia and anxiety, but many of these are chemically formulated and have significant side effects and unpleasant adverse effects.
Natural medicine, phytotherapy, nutraceuticals, offer interesting solutions and valid aids, without incurring unwanted consequences.
*president of the Association of Systems Modulation Medicine
