Sleep is a pillar of health, influencing everything from memory to metabolism. In my previous posts, we explored its importance and different stages. But did you know that lack of sleep can actually make you gain weight? Science confirms a strong link between sleep deprivation, obesity, and diabetes. Interestingly, this connection also works in reverse. Now, researchers have identified another key player—your immune system. In this post, let’s dive into the fascinating link between sleep, diabetes, and immunity.
Monocytes- the vital component of your immune system
Monocytes are a type of immune cell that plays a key role in inflammation. They help in the overall defense and surveillance of your body. These monocytes fall into 3 main categories-
- Classical monocytes (CM)- they express high D14 markers and low D16 markers. They are on patrolling duty and are involved in routine surveillance.
- Intermediate monocytes (IM)- they express high levels of both D14 and D16 markers. They are involved in inflammation and immune activation as they produce cytokines.
- Non-classical monocytes (NCM) express low levels of CD14 and high levels of CD16. Like CMs, they are involved in patrolling, but NCMs mainly take care of the extravascular tissues. They give a heightened proinflammation response.
The balance between the three forms of monocytes can be disturbed in obesity, making inflammation worse.
Previous research– sleep apnea and monocytes
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder characterized by respiratory obstruction and oxygen desaturation, resulting in disturbed sleep. This results in oxidative stress and could potentially lead to obesity. In mouse models, researchers found that OSA led to a decrease in CMs while increasing CD16+ subsets. These changes were worsened by obesity, which reduced physical activity and increased inflammatory markers like TNF-α and MCP-1. However, the overall inflammatory nature of OSA makes it difficult to fully understand how sleep affects monocyte differentiation.
Current study
This study explored how sleep quality affects monocytes and inflammation, especially concerning obesity. Researchers wanted to understand whether poor sleep, even without conditions like sleep apnea, could worsen inflammation by altering these immune cells. They analyzed the complex links between sleep patterns, immune function, and inflammation, considering body mass index (BMI) as both a possible influencing factor and a modifying element. Their model showed that sleep disturbances might contribute to a pro-inflammatory state by affecting monocyte subsets, highlighting the important connection between sleep, immunity, and inflammation.
Some interesting results
Studies showed that heavier individuals had elevated levels of NCMs and low levels of CMs. When they deliberately restricted the sleep in these individuals, there was an increase in NCMs which shows a direct connection between lack of sleep and immune changes. Researchers believe that sleep deprivation impacts the immune system by affecting blood pressure and blood vessel relaxation, which in turn can influence how immune cells behave. Chronic sleep deprivation may also disrupt stress hormone regulation, contributing to higher inflammation and making the immune system less effective.
Take home message
Sleep deprivation no doubt disrupts your rest but also affects your immune system, particularly with regard to obesity. Poor sleep can affect the balance of immune cells, resulting in inflammation and worsening health conditions like obesity. Prioritizing sleep is crucial, as it plays a key role in regulating immune function, inflammation, and overall well-being.
Happy reading, happy sleeping!
Fascinating read, thanks for sharing.