New Delhi: Missing out on quality sleep—even for just a few nights—can sharply increase your risk of heart disease or stroke, even if you’re otherwise in good health. According to new research from Sweden’s Uppsala University, sleep deprivation activates biological processes tied to cardiovascular problems, and the effects can set in alarmingly fast.
The study, led by Dr. Jonathan Cedernaes, focused on how insufficient sleep impacts biomarkers—specifically blood proteins—associated with heart health. Dr. Cedernaes explained, “Nearly half of all Swedes experience disrupted sleep regularly, especially shift workers. Our goal was to identify how sleep loss contributes to cardiovascular risk and, eventually, find ways to counteract those effects.”
A chronic lack of rest has become a pressing public health issue worldwide. Past large-scale studies have shown that insufficient sleep raises the risk of conditions like heart attack, stroke, and atrial fibrillation. However, this new research drills down into the short-term effects on healthy individuals.
In order to isolate the sleep variable, researchers recruited 16 healthy, young men with no comorbidities or sleep disorders. In a lab-controlled setting, their physical activity and diet were tracked while not considering other factors that impact heart health. Participants participated in two sessions wherein they slept 8.5 hours for three nights in one session. Then, in the other, they were restricted to just four hours of sleep a night. Blood samples were taken in both cases, and on the third day, they completed 30 30-minute high-intensity workout, followed by another round of blood tests.
Researchers said that the results were striking – after only three nights of less sleep, elevated levels of inflammatory proteins were found in participants’ blood. These were previously linked to heart failure and coronary artery disease. Interestingly, while exercise caused a different protein response in the body depending on sleep levels, many of the beneficial proteins triggered by physical activity were present regardless of sleep quality. This indicates that exercise can help counteract some, but not all, of the negative effects of poor sleep.
Dr. Cedernaes cautioned against relying on exercise alone. “While physical activity does offer some protective benefits, it cannot replace the critical restorative functions of quality sleep,” he said. The research team stressed the need for further studies, especially among older adults, women, and people suffering from comorbidities. This can help understand the exact impact of sleep deprivation on people across various age groups.