Do you know anyone who feels well-rested and sleeps great? I’m not sure I do, yet it’s a proven fact that adequate sleep is essential to optimal health. Sleeping gives the brain time to process thoughts and replenish invaluable neurotransmitters… allows time for damaged tissues to heal… heightens reflexes and alertness… and helps ward off anxiety and depression. Conversely, a lack of sleep can lead to a greater vulnerability to accidents and disease and, new research affirms, triggers inflammation that can contribute to cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes and other ailments.
HOW TOSSING & TURNING HARMS HEALTH
In previous studies, scientists found that sleep deprivation increases inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor and C-reactive protein. At UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, Michael R. Irwin, MD, and his colleagues set out to measure whether sleep loss affects another inflammatory marker — nuclear factor (NF)-kB, which plays a key role in activating inflammatory pathways and contributing to inflammation-related diseases.
The investigators measured blood levels of NF-kB in 14 healthy adults (seven men and seven women) after a normal night’s sleep (average 7.5 hours)… after one night of partial sleep deprivation (participants were kept awake from 11 pm to 3 am)… and then again the night after sleep deprivation (which was the second night after baseline), following an additional night of catch-up or recovery sleep. They found that even modest sleep loss can contribute to inflammatory disorders in the following ways…
- The activation of inflammatory NF-kB pathways was significantly greater after partial sleep deprivation than following nights of normal or recovery sleep.
- Most inflammatory increases diminished after the subsequent night of recovery sleep.
- The inflammatory response was significant in women, but not in men… a conclusion that clearly calls for further study and investigation.
REST, REPAIR
Sleep loss leads to an increase in stress hormones, such as norepinephrine, that in turn causes inflammation, Dr. Irwin explains. The best strategy, of course, is to practice good sleep hygiene and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
Second best, but still very helpful, is to make sure you get extra rest the next night, as that will help soothe inflammation. Remember, too, that though everyone has some sleepless nights, generally speaking, regular habits help to reinforce sleep depth and breadth. Room lighting and ambient noise can affect quality of sleep. Avoiding sweets around bedtime, getting moderate exercise each day, maintaining good digestion and nutrient intake, including calcium and B-vitamin rich foods, are also helpful in supporting normal sleep. If you are chronically short of sleep, consider asking a naturopathic physician for help healing the inflammatory damage.
The next time you feel guilty about hitting the sack early, think of it this way: You’re not wasting time — you’re giving your body a head start to meet tomorrow’s challenges with renewed vigor and ability.
Source(s):
Michael R. Irwin, MD, Norman Cousins Distinguished Professor, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior — David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California.
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