Sleep supports antioxidant processes in the body. Free Technical Library News

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Sleep supports antioxidant processes in the body

25.07.2018

Sleep is a state that is natural not only for humans, but also for almost all animals, starting with insects. While we sleep, our body rests, the brain processes the information received during the day, our health is strengthened. It turned out that sleep also plays an important role as an antioxidant agent: it reduces oxidative stress, and the latter, on the contrary, can cause sleep disturbances.

This two-way relationship between the two processes was identified by a team of scientists from Columbia University (New York, USA). Biologists conducted a study in which they observed mutant types of Drosophila fruit flies. Insects bred in the laboratory sleep very little. Scientists have determined that due to lack of sleep, these fruit flies are subject to oxidative stress to a greater extent than their relatives who do not have sleep problems.

Oxidative stress develops when free oxygen radicals (molecules without one electron) damage healthy cells in the body. Molecules can start a chain reaction - and in this case, a serious disease develops: from diabetes to cancer. In addition, oxidative stress damages neurons, triggering pathological responses. Free radicals are inevitably formed in the body, in a certain amount they are even useful: they help fight bacteria. However, if there are too many of them, they themselves become harmful to health. Their number increases under the influence of various factors: stress, poor environment, medication, heavy physical activity.

As a rule, antioxidants help to cope with these radicals - nutrients that negate the chemical reactions triggered by free oxygen molecules. These substances can be obtained from foods - mainly fruits and vegetables - and from special vitamins. Now sleep can also be added to the list of "antioxidants".

Researchers have found that one of the functions of sleep is to protect against oxidative stress. Based on this, the authors also suggested that oxidative stress may also affect sleep. Testing this hypothesis, they stimulated the genes of the antioxidant system in Drosophila, thereby reducing oxidative stress. This change literally put the flies to sleep. Otherwise, the unpleasant state caused insomnia.

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