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Sleep deprivation by just 90 minutes per night can harm the cells lining our blood vessels, supporting the theory that inadequate sleep is linked to heart health, according to a study involving female participants. A mild, consistent lack of sleep may increase the likelihood of developing heart disease later in life. Surveys of thousands of individuals have revealed that those reporting chronic, mild sleep deficits are more likely to develop heart disease compared to those who get sufficient sleep.
A recent study conducted by Columbia University, published in the journal Scientific Reports, sheds light on the physiological changes occurring in the body due to chronic mild sleep deprivation. After only six weeks of reduced sleep, the cells lining our blood vessels are inundated with harmful oxidants. Unlike well-rested cells, those deprived of sleep fail to activate antioxidant responses to neutralize these damaging molecules.
The consequence is that these cells become inflamed and dysfunctional, representing an early stage in the progression of cardiovascular disease. Sanja Jelic, the director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Columbia and leader of the study, notes, “This is some of the first direct evidence to show that mild chronic sleep deficits cause heart disease.”
In this study, the researchers screened nearly 1,000 women and enrolled 35 healthy participants who typically slept seven to eight hours each night, ensuring they could complete the 12-week study. For six weeks, the women followed their regular sleep routines, while for the other six weeks, they went to bed 1.5 hours later than usual. Each participant’s sleep was confirmed using wrist-worn sleep trackers.
Jelic emphasizes, “Many problems could be solved if people sleep at least seven to eight hours per night… People who are young and healthy need to know that if they keep getting less sleep than that, they’re aggravating their cardiovascular risk.” Jelic’s team is currently designing a study to investigate whether variability in bedtime affects vascular cells in a similar manner to chronic, albeit consistent, short sleep.
