Common Sleep Disturbances Increase Risk of Inflammatory Diseases

Both too much and too little sleep appears to be associated with inflammation that contributes to depression as well as many medical illnesses.

Sleep disturbances and long sleep duration are associated with increases in markers of inflammation, according to a new study.

"It is important to highlight that both too much and too little sleep appears to be associated with inflammation, a process that contributes to depression as well as many medical illnesses," said Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry.

Multiple Inflammatory Diseases Effectively Treated With New Anti-Arthritis Drugs
Treatment of inflammation in multiple sites in the same patient can be complicated because a medication effective for one disorder may exacerbate the other.

‘Sleep disturbances and long sleep duration (more than 8 hours) increase the levels of CRP and IL-6 in the bloodstream that are linked to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.’

Insufficient sleep is considered a public health epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, have been associated with increased risk of inflammatory disease and mortality.

Substances that increase in response to inflammation and circulate in the blood stream, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), predict adverse health conditions including cardiovascular events, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Many studies have investigated the mechanism behind the association between sleep health and immunity, but variations between studies have made it difficult to understand the effects.

In a recent article, Michael Irwin, Richard Olmstead and Judith Carroll, all of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California, Los Angeles, systematically reviewed existing studies for associations between sleep and inflammatory markers. The meta-analysis examined 72 different articles, which included over 50,000 participants from population-based and clinical studies. The researchers looked at CRP, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) as indicators of inflammation.

Acute Glaucoma is Actually an Inflammatory Disease
Acute glaucoma in mice is actually an inflammatory disease and the high pressure in eye causes vision loss by causing an inflammatory reaction similar to that in response to bacterial infections

People with a normal sleep duration get 7-8 hours of shut-eye per night. The analysis showed that sleep disturbance (poor sleep quality or complaints of insomnia) and long sleep duration (more than 8 hours) were associated with increased levels of CRP and IL-6. Shorter sleep duration was associated with increased levels of CRP. No associations were found with TNFα.

According to Irwin, sleep disturbance or insomnia should be regarded as behavioral risk factors for inflammation, similar to the adverse effects of high fat diet or sedentary behavior. Treatments targeting sleep behavior could be a strategy for reversing the inflammation and reducing risk of inflammatory illnesses.

Genes that Cause Inflammatory Diseases Identified by Australian Scientists
The new gene discoveries have pointed to some potential new therapies, including agents already in use for other diseases which can now be clinically trialed.

"Together with diet and physical activity, sleep health represents a third component in the promotion of health-span," said Irwin.

The study is published in Biological Psychiatry.

Circadian Rhythm Disruption May Lead to Inflammatory Disease
A new study has revealed how the disruption of circadian rhythms, when combined with a high-sugar, high-fat diet, may contribute to inflammatory bowel disease

Source-Eurekalert