Insufficient sleep is associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease risk, and even cognitive impairment. However, the mechanisms behind these effects remain somewhat ambiguous. In analyzing the whole-blood RNA of human test subjects, British researchers have recently found that 711 genes were up- or down-regulated by insufficient sleep after only 7 days with insufficient sleep. The genes they studied are associated with circadian rhythms, sleep homeostasis, oxidative stress (inflammation), and metabolism (obesity).
PositiveTip: Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night for optimal health. How much sleep are you getting?