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Chronic sleep deprivation suppresses immune system

Marco

Grrrrrrr!
Messages
2,386
Location
Near Cognac, France
Hardly surprising but good to see some details of what the effects are. Also good to see a more naturalistic study design plus using twins helps control for genetic variation.

Story here : https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170127113010.htm

and the relevant abstract : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27634804

Habitual short sleep was associated with up-regulation of genes involved in transcription, ribosome, translation and oxidative phosphorylation. Unexpectedly, genes down-regulated in short sleep twins were highly enriched in immuno-inflammatory pathways such interleukin signaling and leukocyte activation, as well as developmental programs, coagulation cascade, and cell adhesion.

The full paper doesn't appear to be available yet.
 

Snowdrop

Rebel without a biscuit
Messages
2,933
And yet I'm willing to bet we won't see any exaggerated or skewed media headlines saying 'sleep your way to better health'. Not the right political tone.
 

alex3619

Senior Member
Messages
13,810
Location
Logan, Queensland, Australia
The immune system cycles through changes while asleep. I do not recall the details, but it was discussed in my lectures circa 2001 or so. If you are not sleeping right, the immune system is going to be disturbed. Similarly the brain is flushed with antioxidants, hormones go through cycles, etc. Sleep is much more than not being awake. We know from studies in shift workers that sleep changes can have major long term consequences.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
Sleep, the Immune System and Viruses....

This study...is examining the role of triggers in our immune response to viruses, including things like Eppstein barr.

SLEEP....is the optimal time for immune suppression of viruses...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6400544/figure/GA/

J Exp Med. 2019 Mar 4;216(3):517-526. doi: 10.1084/jem.20181169. Epub 2019 Feb 12.
Gαs-coupled receptor signaling and sleep regulate integrin activation of human antigen-specific T cells.
Dimitrov S1,2,3, Lange T4, Gouttefangeas C5, Jensen ATR6, Szczepanski M7, Lehnnolz J7, Soekadar S7,8, Rammensee HG5,9, Born J7,2,3, Besedovsky L7.
Author information
Abstract
Efficient T cell responses require the firm adhesion of T cells to their targets, e.g., virus-infected cells, which depends on T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated activation of β2-integrins. Gαs-coupled receptor agonists are known to have immunosuppressive effects, but their impact on TCR-mediated integrin activation is unknown. Using multimers of peptide major histocompatibility complex molecules (pMHC) and of ICAM-1-the ligand of β2-integrins-we show that the Gαs-coupled receptor agonists isoproterenol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, prostaglandin (PG) E2, PGD2, and adenosine strongly inhibit integrin activation on human CMV- and EBV-specific CD8+ T cells in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, sleep, a natural condition of low levels of Gαs-coupled receptor agonists, up-regulates integrin activation compared with nocturnal wakefulness, a mechanism possibly underlying some of the immune-supportive effects of sleep. The findings are also relevant for several pathologies associated with increased levels of Gαs-coupled receptor agonists (e.g., tumor growth, malaria, hypoxia, stress, and sleep disturbances).
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
THIS video is update 16 on the Corona Virus Feb 12, 2020 from Dr. Seheult. These are very good....and updated frequently.

Update 16: HOW TO INCREASE NATURAL IMMUNITY


This is an important overview and includes examining how IL-12 works to kill off viruses.

this is an update from a sleep specialist....and we know with ME the implications of our unrefreshing sleep.

Coronavirus epidemic update 16 by pulmonologist & sleep specialist Dr. Seheult of https://www.MedCram.com.

Dr. Seheult referenced the citation I posted in the previous post and discusses all this further in the You tube video.
 

Zebra

Senior Member
Messages
851
Location
Northern California
For what it's worth ...

The last time I saw my immunologist (for B cell and Complement Deficiencies), he asked if I had treated my sleep apnea. (This was diagnosed a while back during 2 intense sleep studies.)

I was caught off guard by his question, but he told me there have been many studies linking untreated sleep apnea to immune system depression as well as the inverse, autoimmunity.

This was the kick in the butt I needed to go about the complicated task of securing the prescibed BiPAP machine and MANY accessories.

I should have thought to share this sooner!
 

godlovesatrier

Senior Member
Messages
2,545
Location
United Kingdom
This is why I've already noticed such a difference with melatonin. I was waking up three times a night before or sleeping very lightly. I normally only get deep sleep when there's very little going on in my life (almost never) and my body can fully relax (almost never) so most of the year it's just poor sleep.
 

JES

Senior Member
Messages
1,320
Since I feel better after sleep deprivation, at least temporarily, and get worse with sleep extending anything past 8 hours, it may suggest that again this type of general advice isn't very helpful for ME/CFS population, just like eating a standard diet or "exercise is good" doesn't normally apply for us.
 

godlovesatrier

Senior Member
Messages
2,545
Location
United Kingdom
Muscle cells and tissues appear to restore far better with melatonin than without. Interestingly someone else on this forum posted a similair thing. I notice my body goes into a much deeper more pleasant sleep and therefore my muscles actually seem to restore as I am not getting spikes of adrenaline when I wake up or have an anxiety attack, which seems to happen on occasion. I've been struggling to sleep properly for a very very long time, I had a good stint for about 3 to 6 months last year, but apart from that nothing.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
The last time I saw my immunologist (for B cell and Complement Deficiencies), he asked if I had treated my sleep apnea. (This was diagnosed a while back during 2 intense sleep studies.)

A good friend just reported she's been to the sleep clinic and got a sleep apnea diagnosis and is working on getting the machine.....to correct it. Which does not sound very fun..

She has Hashimotos thyroid issues, some gastro issues..but does not have THIS. THankfully.

Somewhere I recall that ME folks have a higher incidence of sleep apnea.
 

sb4

Senior Member
Messages
1,654
Location
United Kingdom
I've been struggling to sleep properly for a very very long time, I had a good stint for about 3 to 6 months last year, but apart from that nothing.
Ok, so how long have you been using melatonin and what dose. The good stint above was without melatonin which is a recent addition, yes?
 

godlovesatrier

Senior Member
Messages
2,545
Location
United Kingdom
@sb4 I've only been using the melatonin for about 4 weeks and not every day but we are talking 80% of the time. Dose from about 0.3mg up to 1mg. 1mg gives me fairly terrible nightmares so I found out half a tab is a lot easier. Yes the good stint was awhile back when work was not stressful at all and I my boss at work actually trusted me. Things have changed! But also had some other issues going on the last 6 months which have made me more stressed out than usual. I've noticed with the ubinquinol I'm taking that it does stimulate my system with a lot of energy so one of the only easy ways to get to sleep is to take the melatonin to counteract that.

But one thing I noticed when I was getting deeper sleep which was nearly a year ago, was that the body did start to recover much better from exertion and general excercise. I sleep very badly when anxious but this only started when I got sick, before then I excercised a lot and I was able to drink alcohol and just generally felt relaxed, these days I am on edge a lot, partly due to the tablets I take and partly due to the fact I have no stress relief options. Typical ME bollocks basically.
 

godlovesatrier

Senior Member
Messages
2,545
Location
United Kingdom
Hey Jessie,

I don't have nightmares often. Definitely the melatonin! When I say often I mean I never ever have any unless in over heating or very dehydrated at night.

Half a miligram isn't too bad. A third was fine I noticed.