In addition to obesity, lack of sleep can cause many physical ailments. People who get insufficient sleep suffer from weaker immune systems.
Ongoing research shows us that there is a complex relationship between sleep and our immune systems. Parts of our immune systems control sleep and how much sleep we get impacts how well our immune systems function.
The immune system provides defense against infectious organisms. Many different cells, tissues, and organs are involved in mounting an immune response. The most important are lymphocytes. We are most familiar with B cells and T cells. Each type has a different method of fighting off infection. B cells produce antibodies to infectious microorganisms.
Cytotoxic T cells, on the other hand, kill the cells that are infected. Helper T cells assist other blood cells in the immune response. Once they become activated, they divide rapidly and release cytokines and interleukins that aid the immune response.
During sleep, the immune system also releases cytokines. Thus, sleep deprivation, especially that of REM sleep or other stages of deep sleep, can result in a decrease in the amount of cytokines produced. Additionally, the production of antibodies is also reduced when we don’t get enough sleep, creating a weaker immune response to any foreign substance.
Long-term sleep loss can result in higher heart rates and blood pressures and lead to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. This does not mean that we need to sleep more than normal to bolster our immune system. Consistency is the most important thing to having a healthy immune system and maintaining sleep hygiene.
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Source: Reite, Martin, Michael P. Weissberg, and John Ruddy. Clinical manual for the evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Pub., 2009. Print.
I never realized that sleeping less can cause higher heart rates and blood pressures, I thought it mainly effected our immune systems. Why is this? Also, why is sleeping consistently one of the most important things?
ReplyDeleteYes, sleep deprivation can lead to a higher heart rate and blood pressure. This is because heart rate and blood pressure levels rise and drop in a pattern throughout the day. They are the highest during the afternoon and reach their lowest in the middle of the night. When we do not sleep for longer periods of time at night, our blood pressures and heart rates are higher during the day, which can cause other problems such as heart diseases.
DeleteAdditionally, sleep apnea is another cause of high blood pressure (hypertension). When we do not get enough oxygen in the body, the brain sends signals to increase blood flow to the heart. This tightens up blood vessels and contributes to high blood pressure. Also, oxygen levels dropping frequently trigger the release of stress hormones, which increase the heart rate and risk for hypertension.
For your second question, it is important to develop a sleep schedule and sleep at the same time and wake up at the same because the body's internal clocks get used to that schedule. This sets your body up for the rest of the day.
Is there a way to retroactively combat the immunosuppressant effects of sleep deprivation?
ReplyDeleteThat is a great question! Studies have shown that hormonal damages and immune system damage done by sleep can be reversed by small naps during the day. This is because many of the problems of the immune system due to not sleeping well are due to the fact that the levels of many hormones rise and fall during the day and the night. Sleep loss causes an imbalance in these levels, which can be combated through naps.
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