In a busy world, many of us find it difficult to stick to the recommended 7 to 8 hours each night, but a new report has highlighted what happens in the body if we cut that short – even over a short period.
After just six weeks of shortened sleep, the study found, the cells that line our blood vessels are flooded by damaging oxidants. This results in cells that are inflamed and dysfunctional, an early step in the development of cardiovascular disease.
Sanja Jelic is the director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Columbia and professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine at Columbia University.
Photo: KEVIN C MOORE
