Most scientists believe that losing the odd couple of hours sleep now and again will have no real impact upon health, however results of a recent study suggest that this may not be the case. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that losing just two hours sleep a night for one week led to poor performances on vigilance tests and a marked impact on hormones levels. Tests revealed that levels of the inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6) rose by 40% to 60% in men and women, while levels of another inflammatory protein called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) increased by 20% to 30% in men alone. The discovery that mild sleep deprivation leads to an increase in levels of inflammatory proteins is of major concern, as chronic inflammation has recently been linked to a number of conditions, including high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 24th May 2002
