Lack of Sleep and the Immune System

A group of researchers from Great Britain and Netherlands studied how human body reacts on lack of sleep. Like stress, lack of sleep (including chronic one) has negative effects on the immune system. 

During stress human body starts to produce granulocytic cells, a kind of leukocytes. Lack of sleep has the same effects. It was proved by a study in which participated 15 young people who slept 8 hours  daily during a week, after which they did not sleep for 29 hours.

Tests have shown that 29 hours of insomnia provoked not only increase in production of granulocytic cells but also break in rhythm of renewal of white blood cells. It was proved that lack of sleep may cause different diseases such as obesity, diabetes and increased blood pressure.

Researchers also say that chronic lack of sleep leads to absorption of body immune system. In the very near future they intend to make one more study during which they plan to study body reaction on stress at molecular level in order to understand how exactly lack of sleep provokes different diseases.

Scientists consider that results of the study are an occasion to overview schedule of work in professions which are connected with long periods of awakenings, for example, where people work in rotating teams.