Health + Aug. 2012 | Page 10

Little sleep weakens the immune system and stresses us

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Sleep deprivation causes the immune system to enter in action, reflecting the same type of immediate response that occurs after exposure to stress, according to a new study published in the magazine Sleep.

In the new research, scientists at the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have compared the white blood cells of 15 young and healthy men under normal conditions and in serious condition of sleep deprivation. The biggest changes were observed in the white blood cells known as granulocyte, which showed a loss of the day-night rhythm. As explained Katrin Ackerman, main author of the study, "future researches will reveal the molecular mechanisms that underlie this immediate response to stress, and will describe its role in the development of diseases associated with chronic sleep loss."

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