Poor sleep affects our DNA!
Poor sleep
Poor sleep not only disrupts our biological clock, it even changes the epigenetic structure of our DNA (* Epigenetics: the study that focuses on processes that help influence the expression of genes). In some cases, this change seems irreversible.
Biological clock
Our biological clock ensures that our bodily functions follow a certain regularity. The sleep-wake rhythm, which is mainly under the influence of melatonin and cortisol, is the best known example. Disturbances in the biological clock can be caused, for example, by shift work, traveling from east to west and switching to winter or summer time.
Sleep study
Fifteen men participated in two two-night sleep experiments in the laboratory. The first two nights they were allowed to sleep through, but during the second session they were kept awake for one night. This included taking blood samples to measure the activity of certain "clock genes." (*Genes that affect the internal, biological rhythm of living matter.) such as CLOCK and CRY1 (*CRY1 regulates the "internal clock" of our Gene network)
Sleep disturbance
Sleep disruption was found to increase, among other things, the methylation (*Methylation metabolism of cells ) of CRY1 and BMAL1.(*BMAL1 is an essential component of the Circardian timing system and is related to recovery from sleep deprivation) This results in less proteins being produced that help regulate circadian rhythms. In methylation, methyl groups attach to DNA, preventing certain genetic information from being translated into proteins.
Circardian clock
The Circardian clock is an internal timekeeping system, regulates various physiological processes, (*internal body processes) by generating approximately 24-hour circardian rhythms in gene expression, which are translated into rhythms in metabolism and behavior. It acts as a key regulator of a wide range of physiological functions including metabolism (*metabolism), sleep, body temperature, blood pressure, endocrine system,(*the endocrine glands regulate body functions by hormones), immune system, cardiovascular, and renal function.
"We have shown that a single night of not sleeping through can already alter the epigenetic and transcriptional profile of important circardian clock genes," the researchers said. "It is quite possible that these changes are reversed after a few good night's rest. But on the other hand, epigenetic changes in people who work a lot of shifts are sometimes permanent."
This is why the seriousness of a good restful night's sleep is so important especially in these times with threat of the Covid 19 virus!
Source
Jonathan Cedernaes, Megan E. Osler, Sarah Voisin, Jan-Erik Broman, Heike Vogel, Suzanne L. Dickson, Juleen R. Zierath, Helgi B. Schiöth, and Christian Benedict, Acute Sleep Loss Induces Tissue-Specific Epigenetic and Transcriptional Alterations to Circadian Clock Genes in Men, JCEM Volume 100, Issue 9, July 13, 2015.