Editing Sleep debt (section)

== Physiological effects of sleep debt ==

The effects of chronic sleep debt on the human body's metabolic and endocrine processes are significant, particularly for those individuals who are overweight. An analysis of the physiological impacts of sleep debt, published in ''[[The Lancet]]'', investigated the physiological effects of sleep debt by assessing the sympathovagal balance (an indicator of the [[sympathetic nervous system]] activity), thyrotropic function, [[Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis|HPA axis]] activity, as well as the carbohydrate metabolism of 11 young adult males whose sleep period for six nights was either restricted to four hours per night or extended to 12 hours in bed per night.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal | vauthors = Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E | title = Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function | language = English | journal = Lancet | volume = 354 | issue = 9188 | pages = 1435–9 | date = October 1999 | pmid = 10543671 | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(99)01376-8 | s2cid = 3854642 | url = https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(99)01376-8/abstract | url-access = subscription }}</ref> Results revealed that in the sleep-debt condition, thyrotropin concentrations were decreased, while lowered glucose and insulin responses indicated a clear impairment of carbohydrate tolerance, a 30% decrease than in the well-rested sleep condition.<ref name=":0" /> Males who were sleep-restricted also showed significantly elevated concentrations of evening cortisol (the "stress" hormone) and elevated sympathetic nervous system activity in comparison to those who enjoyed a full sleep, throughout 6 nights.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">{{cite journal | vauthors = Bayon V, Leger D, Gomez-Merino D, Vecchierini MF, Chennaoui M | title = Sleep debt and obesity | journal = Annals of Medicine | volume = 46 | issue = 5 | pages = 264–72 | date = August 2014 | pmid = 25012962 | doi = 10.3109/07853890.2014.931103 | s2cid = 36653608 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Losing so much sleep could lead to many chronic health problems that could include: heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. As stated by the [[National Institutes of Health]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep-deprivation | title=Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency - What Are Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency? &#124; NHLBI, NIH | date=24 March 2022 }}</ref> chronic sleep debt has a detrimental impact on human neurophysiological functioning and can disrupt immune, endocrine, and metabolic function, while increasing the severity of cardiovascular and age-related illnesses over a period of time.<ref name=":0" />