Lack of sleep = bad

[metadigital]

Why we're not immune to losing sleep

Lack of sleep could be worse for the body than we thought, at least if humans react to it in the same way as rats do

Tarja Porkka-Heiskanen of the University of Helsinki, Finland, and her team discovered that rats seem to mount an immune response to sleep deprivation, producing molecules that ordinarily are associated with stress. This suggests that chronic sleep deprivation could lead to stress-related illness, such as heart disease, for example.

 

Porkka-Heiskanen's team was studying how the brain triggers "recovery" sleep to overcome the effects of sleep loss. Their earlier work in rats had shown that levels of nitric oxide increase in the basal forebrain during periods of sleep deprivation and that this plays a role in prompting recovery sleep.

 

They had also found that an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was responsible for jump-starting the production of nitric oxide.

 

But where was the NOS enzyme coming from? Porkka-Hieskanen had expected that the NOS produced by the brain would be in a so-called "constitutive form", in other words, it would be made regardless of the need for it.

 

Instead, her team found that the NOS was in an "inducible form" (iNOS) which is usually produced when the body mounts an immune response to stress (European Journal of Neuroscience, DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05019.x). "This was a big surprise," says Porkka-Heiskanen. "It means that the body experiences sleep deprivation as some kind of hostile threat."

 

The researchers also found that the rats began producing iNOS after being deprived of sleep for just 10 minutes. "So even short periods of sleep deprivation are able to create this reaction," says Porkka-Heiskanen. "If it becomes chronic, we are really putting a big strain on the body."

 

[kirottu]

Go Porkka Go!!!

[Pope]

Tell me about it.

 

I haven't had a decent night of sleep in 2 weeks, and having an exceptional high need for sleep, that makes Pope a really tired person today.

 

I would sleep all day if only I could.

[astr0creep]

To many games to play.

 

I'll sleep when I'm dead.

[LoneWolf16]

To many games to play.

 

I'll sleep when I'm dead.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed!

 

But if this has a granule of truth, that may not be as far off as you or I think...

[Fenghuang]

I haven't slept all night, and I have things to do today.

 

I never get enough sleep, and my health is excellent.

[Arkan]

I love my sleep. I usually get six or seven hours a night, plus some nap time during the day...I love college.

[Xard]

Go Porkka Go!!!

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[Pidesco]

I haven't slept all night, and I have things to do today. 

 

I never get enough sleep, and my health is excellent.

 

But you're like, sixteen.

 

Everyone's healthy at sixteen unless they actively try to ruin their own health.

[LadyCrimson]

who had only 4.2 hours sleep for 10 consecutive nights, hints at the dangers. Levels of a molecule related to iNOS called C-reactive protein were raised in the volunteers - a strong predictor of heart disease.

I better buy some more life insurance, hubby's a gonner w/his sleep apnea stuff.

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Get your sleep, peeps!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ah ah, you rat.

 

Still trying here.

 

Cheers.

 

 

I told you my system was screwy - tried sleeping this afternoon, one hour and a half later was up again. Just can't for some reason. Headlight eyes. Game over man.

 

[Gfted1]

I find I feel most rested when I get about 6-7 hours sleep. Any more then that and I wake up tired, any less and Im grouchy.

[metadigital]

I love sleep. Currently getting about 10-12 hours a night ... the best feeling is deciding in the morning that I don't feel like waking up just yet and rolling over for another hour or so of sleep ... :D

 

interestingly, I decided to drink coffee last week (bought myself a new Bialetti Moka Express and some Lavazza), and I found it much harder to get up in the morning ... then again, it's not like i have to get up in the morning ... "

[Dark_Raven]

6-7 hours of sleep is what I get. I could get more but I force myself out of bed, why waste the day.

[thepixiesrock]

I haven't slept all night, and I have things to do today. 

 

I never get enough sleep, and my health is excellent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

But you're like, sixteen.

 

Everyone's healthy at sixteen unless they actively try to ruin their own health.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

lol guilty.

[the dude]

thanks for the links meta

 

good info to know....and gives me more reason to not go for that masters degree.... "

[Krookie]

I get like seven hours of sleep a night, and it doesn't really pose to much of a problem during the day. I just try to be in bed by 11, and fall asleep somewhere around 12. Of course, that doesn't always work because I've got my 360 in my room.

[Qazplm]

Sleep paralysis suck just had it.

[mkreku]

Well, I can tell none of you have been in the army, right? The first thing you learn is to fall asleep. Anywhere, anytime, any position. I can sleep standing. I (probably) need less than a minute to fall asleep if I want to sleep (this annoys the hell out of my girlfriend who has a much harder time to fall asleep). It's very practical.

 

Usually I get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

[Pope]

Well, I can tell none of you have been in the army, right? The first thing you learn is to fall asleep. Anywhere, anytime, any position. I can sleep standing. I (probably) need less than a minute to fall asleep if I want to sleep (this annoys the hell out of my girlfriend who has a much harder time to fall asleep). It's very practical.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So how do you do that? I'm one of those people that needs like at least an hour to fall asleep. I could sure use those l33t sleeping skillz.

[mkreku]

I acrtually don't know. The way they "taught" us that in the army was that the officers told us to "get sleep whenever you can" and then they forced us to work for weeks on end without proper sleep. You eventually got used to that weird rhythm and were able to fall asleep as soon as you got a free minute. Then an officer would come along ten minutes later and yell at you, and you'd be back at work. Repeat ad nauseum, and TADA, you've learnt how to fall asleep in no-time.

 

I remember sleeping standing, leaned against a tree while on "guard duty". Hannibal and his elephant army could have walked past my guard sentry post.

[Tigranes]

Probably do a world of good for middle class buggers like me who can't sleep.

[thepixiesrock]

Get out!

 

Just because he's hot- I mean, kind of good looking, doesn't mean I like him.

[LadyCrimson]

I can fall asleep sitting on the floor behind the passenger seat of an automobile.

 

It helps to be small.

[kirottu]

I cannot sleep during daytime. Only exception is if I have been angry. Being angry is so mentally straining to me that I become very very tired.