Decreased sleep duration may lead to cardiovascular disease, study finds
New York City: A new study has found that a half-hour reduction in sleep duration every night can lead to inflammation and cardiovascular disease.
Chronic sleep deprivation can affect a person’s immune cells and cause inflammation in the body, according to a new study conducted at New York’s Icahn School of Medicine, published in the Journal of Experimental Sciences.
Increased inflammation makes you a target for a number of problems, especially cardiovascular disease, said Cameron McAlpine, assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School and study co-investigator, in an interview.
The research underscores the importance of getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night for older adults to reduce inflammation and heart disease, said Philip Sorsky, the study’s lead author and director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Icahn School, in a news release. It can help prevent diseases, especially those with chronic diseases.
The researchers said the research begins with identifying systems within the body that maintain long-term links between sleep and immune health.
Studies have shown that disturbed sleep in humans and mice can affect the rate of production of their cells and immune systems. As a result, immune cells lose their effectiveness in protecting against disease.
