A study by researchers at Uppsala University has found even just a few nights with insufficient sleep can cause serious heart problems.

The study, published in the journal, Biomarker Research, investigated how sleep deprivation affects biomarkers associated with cardiovascular disease by measuring the levels of around 90 different proteins in the blood.

Many of the existing larger studies on the link between sleep deprivation and risk of CV diseases have focused on older individuals who already have an increased risk. This one focused on younger men.

According to the researchers, nearly half of Swedes regularly experience disturbed sleep and chronic lack of sleep is a growing public health problem due to already proven links to increased risk of heart attack, stroke and atrial fibrillation.

Recognising heart health is influenced by a variety of lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet and exercise, the researchers focused their efforts on the impact of sleep – in a laboratory environment.

Methodology

Sixteen healthy young men of normal weight with healthy sleep habits spent time in a sleep laboratory where their meals and activity levels were controlled in two sessions. In one session, the participants got a normal amount of sleep for three consecutive nights, while during the other session they only got about four hours of sleep each night.

Blood samples were collected during both sessions in the morning and evenings and following high-intensity 30-minute workouts.

Results

The levels of proteins in the blood already linked to cardiovascular disease increased after only a few nights of sleep deprivation, despite participants previously being healthy.

“This means it’s important to emphasise the importance of sleep for cardiovascular health even in early life,” said the leader of the study, Jonathan Cedernaes, physician and assistant professor at Uppsala University.

The researchers did note that after physical exercise, proteins linked to the positive effects of exercise increased whether the participant was sleep deprived or not. They concluded that while exercise can offset some of the negative effects that poor sleep can cause, exercise cannot replace the overall health benefits of sleep.

Ongoing research by this team and its partners will develop guidelines on how sleep, exercise and other lifestyle factors can be combined to prevent CV diseases.