NEW YORK, Feb 27 — Everyone knows that a sleepless night impacts both energy levels and morale, but the effects don’t stop there. According to a Kuwaiti study published in the Journal of Immunology, a single night’s sleep deprivation is enough to alter the composition of immune cells, thereby increasing the risk of chronic inflammation over the long term.

Can a single sleepless night weaken our immune system? This is the question posed by researchers at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait. Their research shows that our immune system is particularly sensitive to variations in sleep. Repeated sleep deprivation could even lead to a chronic inflammatory state, increasing the risk of conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.

Numerous studies have already highlighted the link between sleep disorders and certain chronic diseases. For example, chronic inflammation plays a key role in the onset of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. But the precise impact of sleep on certain immune cells, in particular monocytes, remains poorly understood. These cells, essential to innate immunity, defend the body against infection, eliminate damaged cells and regulate inflammation.

To better understand this interaction, the researchers studied 237 healthy adults with a variety of body mass indices. Using sophisticated activity sensors, they analyzed the participants’ sleep patterns over the course of a week. Participants wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ device, which accurately measured sleep duration, quality and disturbances.

The importance of sleep

The results were striking: obese participants had poorer sleep quality than slim people, and higher levels of inflammatory markers. By studying their monocytes, the researchers observed a decrease in so-called “classical” monocytes (which provide immune surveillance) and an increase in “non-classical” monocytes, known to produce inflammatory substances.

But one of the most surprising findings of the study was that this increase in non-classical monocytes did not depend solely on body weight. Even in slim participants, disturbed sleep led to a similar inflammatory response, suggesting that sleep deprivation alone is enough to weaken the immune system.

To confirm these findings, the researchers conducted an experiment on five healthy young adults, depriving them of sleep for 24 hours. Blood tests revealed changes in their immune profiles comparable to those observed in obese participants. In other words, a single sleepless night is enough to trigger an inflammatory reaction in the body.

For Dr Fatema Al-Rashed, who led the study, these findings highlight a growing public health issue, since increased screen time and changing lifestyles are disrupting sleep cycles. “This disruption in sleep has profound implications for immune health and overall well-being,” she explains in a news release.

Clearly, this study confirms that sleep is much more than just a time to rest: it is a veritable regulator of our immune system. In the long term, having too short or poor-quality nights could open the door to chronic diseases by promoting a persistent inflammatory state. This is a powerful argument for rethinking our habits, and giving sleep the importance it deserves. So, think twice before you pull an all-nighter, your immune system will thank you for it! — ETX Studio