Negative Effects Of Sleep Deprivation: Lack Of Sleep Can Lower Body's Good Cholesterol, Study Suggests

One of the negative effects of sleep deprivation is a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. According to a new study, the reason behind this negative effect is due to the effects of inadequate sleep on the body's cholesterol level.

This new study about the effects of sleep deprivation, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that lack of sleep can affect the genes that regulate cholesterol levels, Medical News Today reports. These gene changes can also lead to a decrease in the levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) which are known as the good cholesterol.

"HDL cholesterol is responsible for removing low-density lipoproteins (LDL) - the 'bad' cholesterol - from the arteries," Medical News Today explains. The build-up of LDL in the body is responsible for clogging up arteries which can also result in cardiac arrest or stroke.

The researchers studied 21 participants by requiring them to sleep under observation for five nights. The sleep duration for 14 of the study participants was limited to just four hours a night. The other seven participants got an adequate amount of sleep every night.

The research team then took blood samples from all of the participants for analysis. "Compared with participants who had sufficient sleep, the researchers found that those who experienced sleep loss had reduced expression for genes that encode for lipoproteins," Medical News Today reports.

Aside from increasing a person's risk of cardiovascular disease, there are other negative effects of sleep deprivation. Impaired brain functioning, moodiness, depression, memory problems, hallucinations, diabetes, weight gain and a weakened immune system are some of the effects of inadequate sleep, according to Healthline.