Sleep Restriction and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Author Information
Author(s): van Leeuwen Wessel M. A., Lehto Maili, Karisola Piia, Lindholm Harri, Luukkonen Ritva, Sallinen Mikael, Härmä Mikko, Porkka-Heiskanen Tarja, Alenius Harri
Primary Institution: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
Hypothesis
Continuous sleep restriction disturbs human immunity which could result in an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion
Prolonged sleep restriction can change immune cell functions and may lead to an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Supporting Evidence
- CRP levels increased significantly after sleep restriction and remained elevated after recovery sleep.
- Heart rate increased significantly after recovery sleep.
- The number of NK-cells decreased significantly after sleep restriction.
- Proliferation of stimulated PBMC increased significantly after sleep restriction.
- Production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 increased significantly after sleep restriction.
Takeaway
Not getting enough sleep can make your body react in ways that might hurt your heart, even if you sleep normally for a couple of nights afterward.
Methodology
The study involved 19 healthy young men who underwent sleep restriction followed by recovery sleep, with various physiological and immunological parameters measured.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the controlled laboratory setting and the specific demographic of participants.
Limitations
The study was limited to a small sample size of healthy young men, which may not be generalizable to other populations.
Participant Demographics
Nineteen healthy men, aged 19–29, with a regular sleep-wake schedule.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.005
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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