Inflammation
Impaired Nighttime Sleep in Healthy Old vs Young Adults – (05-20-03)
Impaired Nighttime Sleep in Healthy Old vs Young Adults Associated with Elevated IL-6 and Cortisol Levels
Wow!! The implications of this study are quite exciting. Basically, a marker of inflammation (interleukin-6) and cortisol levels (the body’s stress hormone) are associated with poor sleep quality and duration. This article does not differentiate whether the lack of sleep causes elevated values (which we already know that lack of sleep is a stress to the body and produces stress hormones), or whether the elevated levels interfere with sleep. Knowing the human body, it’s probably both. An important clinical note here–this article would strongly work against the common usage of valium derivatives to help patients sleep. Based on this article, any patient with problems sleeping needs to be fully evaluated for cortisol levels (best done with saliva) and markers of inflammation and treated appropriately.
JCEM — Abstracts: Vgontzas et al. 88 (5): 2087
