Many adults struggle to get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night. For some, it’s due to busy schedules, while for others, insomnia or restless nights make sleep a challenge. Experts warn that consistently getting less than seven hours of sleep can lead to serious health consequences, including weakened immunity and increased risk of life-threatening diseases.

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A study published in a research journal, Communications Biology, in November 2021, shows the growing concern over sleep deprivation in today’s society. Factors such as demanding work schedules, smartphone addiction, poor diets, and sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea are contributing to the decline in sleep duration.

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As sleep becomes scarcer, our physical and mental health are increasingly at risk, with experts emphasizing the need for better sleep habits to protect overall well-being.

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Here’s what sleep deprivation can do to your health, according to this study:

Immune system disruption

Sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. When we don’t get enough rest, our immune response weakens.

This can make us more susceptible to infections and illnesses. Chronic sleep deprivation has been shown to lower the body’s ability to activate T-cells and produce necessary immune signals, putting us at greater risk for diseases. T cells are part of the immune system and develop from stem cells in the bone marrow. They help protect the body from infection and may help fight cancer.

Increased risk of infections

People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to catch respiratory infections and suffer from conditions like shingles, a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Studies show that sleep deprivation makes it harder for the body to fight off infections because it impairs immune responses, such as the activation of key immune cells that protect against viruses.

Higher cancer risk

Short sleep duration has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Research shows that lack of sleep reduces melatonin, a hormone that has anti-cancer properties.

This weakens the immune system’s ability to fight tumours and leads to slower responses from immune cells like natural killer (NK) cells and CD8 T cells, which help attack cancer cells.

Link to neurodegenerative diseases

Chronic sleep deprivation is closely associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Studies show that lack of sleep causes neuroinflammation, which accelerates brain damage by promoting the buildup of toxic proteins. This damage can lead to cognitive decline and memory problems over time.

Disrupted brain waste removal

Sleep is vital for the brain to clear out waste, including amyloid-beta, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s.

When we don’t get enough rest, this waste removal process is impaired, causing amyloid to accumulate and form plaques in the brain. This contributes to neurodegeneration and other neurological problems.

Impact on autoimmune diseases

Sleep deprivation can trigger immune dysregulation, where the immune system starts attacking the body’s tissues.

This can increase the risk of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. It also disturbs the balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals, which could worsen these conditions.

Increased cardiovascular and metabolic risks

Chronic lack of sleep is a main factor in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Cardio-metabolic disorders include cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. They represent some of the most serious health challenges of the 21st century.

Chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Sleep deprivation leads to inflammation that damages blood vessels and disrupts metabolic processes, contributing to heart disease and stroke.

Altered immune response and inflammation

Sleep loss triggers a rise in certain types of white blood cells (like neutrophils and monocytes) while decreasing the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, which are critical for fighting infections and tumors. This shift in immune cell activity leads to increased inflammation, which is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases.

Gut health and immune dysfunction

Lack of sleep affects the immune system and disrupts the balance of bacteria in the gut, a condition called dysbiosis.

This imbalance in gut bacteria can lead to systemic inflammation and further compromise immune function.

Research suggests that gut health and sleep are closely connected, with imbalances increasing the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.