Researchers find link between sleep deprivation and cell damage

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-12/mcow-mrf120814.php

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 8-Dec-2014

Contact: Maureen Mack
Medical College of Wisconsin
MCW researchers find link between sleep deprivation and cell damage

Scientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) have discovered a link between sleep loss and cell injury. Results of a new study find sleep deprivation causes the damage to cells, especially in the liver, lung, and small intestine. Recovery sleep following deprivation heals the damage.

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Dr. Everson's team discovered that sleep loss causes cell damage, resulting in a link between sleep and disease risk. Furthermore, recovery sleep from sleep loss was found to restore the balance and decrease cell injury. These findings elucidate previous research indicating sleep abnormalities as risk factors for diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

"The study culminates years of work and provides physical evidence that sleep deprivation injures cells and that sleep recovery restores the balance between, among other parameters, DNA damage and repair,"

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