Biological Consequences of Disturbed Sleep: Important Mediators of Health?

There is an extensive literature regarding the immunological and endocrinological consequences of illness, stress, and psychopathology. Yet only a modest literature is available regarding the potential unfavorable effects of chronic sleep loss/disruption on immune and endocrine pathways or on various aspects of health. Given that humans spend approximately 1/3 of their lives asleep, it seems pertinent to evaluate this necessary yet understudied behavior. The evidence overwhelmingly indicates that "excessive" sleep disruption or poor sleep quality/continuity may subsequently increase risk for adverse health outcomes, as well as mortality. This is thought to occur through dysregulation of biological pathways. While our information addressing the immunological or endocrinological consequences of poor sleep is mounting, the majority of evidence stems from epidemiologic and cross-sectional studies. The immune and endocrine systems are dynamic and constantly in flux. Thus, the methodologies and study designs used to understand how sleep affects these systems needs to be as dynamic. Experimental manipulations and longitudinal evaluations are needed to effectively understand sleep as a risk factor for health. Thus, this paper is a primer in which to highlight the immunological and endocrinological consequences of disrupted or disturbed sleep as well as describe how these relationships may impact overall health. It is also meant to spark an interest for future evaluations of how the behavior of sleep is relevant to health.