Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets & Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
    Featured Articles
    • Bulletins
      Why Eat More Fruit?
    • Diets & Weight Loss
      Intermittent Fasting (IF)
    • Recipes
      Watermelon & Heirloom Tomato Salad
    • Healthy Living
      Fruit, Herb, & Vegetable Infused Waters: Good Or Bad?
    • Bulletins
      Fruit & Vegetables: Increase Your Intake
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments & remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    The Legacy Of Living Yes | Spontaneous Happiness | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Health Tips
    Healthy Drinks To Start Sipping | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • COVID-19
  • Dr. Weil Origins Skin Care
  • Marketplace
  • Healthy Aging
  • Podcasts
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
Lack Of Sleep Can Make You Sick
Subscribe
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Bulletins

Lack Of Sleep Can Make You Sick

lack of sleep sick
1 min

Dr. Weil and his Twitter account has been nominated for a Shorty Award for the best in social media, as a global influencer in Health and Wellness! Lend your support by voting on his behalf!

A new study shows that getting inadequate sleep can affect your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illness. Researchers at the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center determined this by taking blood samples from 11 pairs of identical twins who had different sleep patterns. The tests showed that the twin who obtained fewer hours of sleep had a less active immune system. The researchers explained that they recruited identical twins for the study in order to control for genetics, which they said accounts for 31 to 55 percent of sleep duration. Behavior and environment account for the rest. They noted that earlier research, performed in sleep labs, has shown that curtailing sleep can increase inflammatory markers and modify the activity of immune cells, but until now, little has been known about the effects of not getting enough sleep under natural conditions. Lead author Nathaniel Watson, M.D., co-director of the sleep center, said the findings “are consistent with studies that show when sleep deprived people are given a vaccine, there is a lower antibody response” and if you expose sleep deprived people to a cold virus, they are more likely to get a cold. He added that seven or more hours of sleep is recommended for optimal health.

My take? Given the role immunity and inflammation play in chronic disease these findings may help explain why not getting enough sleep is linked to a surprising number of health problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and even weight gain.

In addition, laboratory studies have suggested that not getting adequate rest may elevate levels of stress hormones and further increase inflammation – influences that may contribute to disease later in life.

Source:
Nathaniel Watson and Sina Gharib, et al. “Transcriptional Signatures of Sleep Duration Discordance in Monozygotic Twins.” Sleep, January 2017 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsw019

Also in this week’s bulletin:

  • Why Are You Overweight?
  • News About Cancer: Some Good, Some Bad
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

Another Reason To Eat More Greens | Bulletins | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Bulletins

Another Reason To Eat More Greens

Can Lost Hearing Be Restored? | Weekly Bulletins | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Bulletins

Can Lost Hearing Be Restored?

Kids Prefer Natural Over Processed Foods | Bulletins | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Bulletins

Kids Prefer Natural Over Processed Foods

Avocados And Your Diet | Weekly Bulletins | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Bulletins

Avocados And Your Diet

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
Another Reason To Eat More Greens | Bulletins | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Bulletins

Another Reason To Eat More Greens

Can Lost Hearing Be Restored? | Weekly Bulletins | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Bulletins

Can Lost Hearing Be Restored?

Daily Tips
Best Time of Day to Cut Calories | Weekly Bulletins | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Health Tips

Can Certain Foods Be Bad For The Thyroid?

Does Sprouted Garlic Have More Antioxidant Potential?
Health Tips

Does Sprouted Garlic Have More Antioxidant Potential?

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright2022 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com