Apnea Forum Posting

Posted by Carolyn on October 22, 1999 at 19:55:01:

Thought this may be of interest.

Lack Of Sleep Ages Body's Systems

October 22, 1999

The Medical Tribune

A bad night's sleep might have worse consequences than just early-morning blues. A new study shows that consistently being deprived of sleep can increase the severity of age-related chronic disorders, including diabetes, obesity and hypertension.
The study, led by Eve Van Cauter, a researcher at the University of Chicago Medical School in Chicago, Ill., examined the effects of various amounts of sleep on 11 men ages 18 to 27. The men spent eight hours in bed per night (fully rested) for the first three nights, four hours per night (sleep deprivation) for the next six nights and 12 hours per night for the last seven nights.
Results showed that after being deprived of sleep, the men's bodies metabolized glucose less effectively, which suggests the possible development of diabetes. Levels of cortisol - a stress hormone that helps regulate blood sugar concentrations - were also higher than after periods of sustained sleep. Raised cortisol levels are thought to be involved in development of memory impairments and age-related insulin resistance, a condition that can lead to obesity and hypertension. The study is to be published in the October 23 issue of The Lancet.
"The alterations in metabolic and endocrine function were striking," Van Cauter said. "After only one week of sleep restriction, young, healthy males had glucose levels that were no longer normal. That's a rapid deterioration of the body's functions."
The study showed that the rate at which the body was able to clear itself of glucose after an insulin injection was nearly 40 percent slower during periods of sleep deprivation than in sleep-recovery condition. Glucose effectiveness - defined as the ability of glucose to mediate its own disposal independently of insulin - was 30 percent lower in the sleep deprivation stages.
Van Cauter said the effects of sleep deprivation on glucose metabolism were similar to those found in the elderly. She therefore concluded that chronic sleep deprivation may have long-term harmful effects on the body.
However, Van Cauter said the study also showed that the negative effects of sleep deprivation could be corrected entirely by normal sleep. "Getting a normal amount of sleep could be a health-promoting behavior," she said. " Just as a lack of sleep can harm the body, getting sleep can help it."
"Most of what we know about sleep deprivation has to do with immune function and brain function," said Dr. Daniel Buysse, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pa. "This study is interesting because sleep deprivation has been thought to be more harmful to your brain than your body."
"There's a lot of interest in how insulin function changes in terms of age, because it can lead to diabetes," added Michael Bonnet, director of the sleep laboratory at the Dayton Veterans Administration Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. "The findings are interesting, and I'd like to see more. But we need longer-term studies to see if the effects of sleep loss are temporary, and if they are still reversible over those extended periods."
Van Cauter agreed that more research is necessary before any definitive statements can be made regarding the effects of sleep deprivation on the body. "But these results indicate that a chronic lack of sleep may affect metabolic function as much as living a sedentary lifestyle," she said. "Sleep has almost become a sin these days, and that thinking really needs to change."
"I think many people would admit to sleeping far less than they really need," added Bonnet. "But how much that lack of sleep affects the body's physiology still needs to be determined."
The Lancet (1999;354:1435-1439)
Copyright 1999 The Medical Tribune News Service. All rights reserved.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Lack of Sleep Ages Body's Systems RenoTom 10/25/99 (0)
• Re: Lack of Sleep Ages Body's Systems Good stuff! 10/25/99 (0)
• Re: Lack of Sleep Ages Body's Systems michael 10/23/99 (1)
  • Re: Lack of Sleep Ages Body's Systems Carolyn 10/23/99 (0)

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