Adverse Effects of Modest Sleep Restriction on Sleepiness, Performance, and Inflammatory Cytokines

Abstract

Total sleep restriction in humans is associated with increased daytime sleepiness, decreased performance, and hormonal/metabolic disturbances. The effects of mild chronic sleep restriction that mimic real life are not known. To assess the effects of modest sleep restriction from 8 to 6 h/night for 1 wk, 25 young, healthy, normal sleepers (12 men and 13 women) were studied for 12 consecutive nights in the sleep laboratory. After 1 wk of sleep restriction, although subjects' nighttime sleep was deeper, subjects were significantly sleepier (multiple sleep latency test) and performed worse in four primary variables of psychomotor vigilance test (both P < 0.01). Furthermore, 24-h secretion of IL-6 was increased by 0.8 +/- 0.3 pg/ml (P < 0.05) in both sexes, whereas TNFalpha was increased only in men. Also, the peak cortisol secretion was lower after sleep restriction than at baseline, and this difference was stronger in men (55.18 +/- 24.83 nmol/liter; P < 0.05) than in women (35.87 +/- 24.83 nmol/liter; P < 0.16). We conclude that in young men and women, modest sleep loss is associated with significant sleepiness, impairment of psychomotor performance, and increased secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Given the potential association of these behavioral and physical alterations with health, well-being, and public safety, the idea that sleep or parts of it are optional should be regarded with caution.

Repeated sleep restriction in rats leads to homeostatic and allostatic responses during recovery sleep

“…We have recently used the RSR paradigm to demonstrate that rats allowed to sleep for only 4 h per day for 8 consecutive days have increased basal corticosterone levels and develop pronounced changes in the reactivity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to stress (18). RSR and other forms of SD have also been shown to alter regulation of corticosterone (18)(19)(20) and proinflammatory cytokine levels (21,22), elevate markers of oxidative stress (23), and promote neurodegenerative processes in the hippocampus (24,25).…”

Sleep, Sleep Disorders, and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. What We Know and What We Need to Know: Findings from a National Working Group

“…Similarly, sleep deprivation has been associated with a number of potentially relevant deleterious effects on brain homeostasis, including changes in brain temperature [31], glutamate concentrations [32], and energy consumption as evidenced by decreased levels of brain glycogen [33]. Sleep deprivation also results in elevated proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α), which can impair neuronal growth and delay recovery [34,35]. If sleep loss incurs these neurophysiologic costs and also impairs neurorecovery, it is reasonable to hypothesize that postinjury sleep enhancement may facilitate neurorecovery.…”

Napping During Night Shift: Practices, Preferences, and Perceptions of Critical Care and Emergency Department Nurses

“…29,30 Even modest sleep restriction (a reduction from 8 to 6 hours per night for one week) in young, healthy, normal sleepers leads to significant sleepiness, psychomotor impairment, and increased secretions of proinflammatory cytokines. 31 A large majority of nurses are female, 32 and shift work adversely affects females more than males, making this target group especially vulnerable to the impact of insufficient or disturbed sleep. 33,34 In health studies of shift workers, compared with men, women are reported to experience more sleep disturbance, 33,34 difficulty falling and remaining asleep, 33,34 morning headaches, 34 and greater morning fatigue.…”