Sleep Loss Triggers Heart Disease Proteins After Just a Few Nights

A new study from Uppsala University shows that even a few nights of insufficient sleep trigger molecular mechanisms associated with a higher risk of heart disease. The research examined how short-term sleep deprivation affects blood biomarkers, specifically proteins connected to cardiovascular disease. The findings appear in the journal Biomarker Research.

Sleep loss and heart health

Nearly half of the Swedish population regularly experiences disrupted sleep, a problem especially prevalent among shift workers. Chronic lack of sleep is a growing public health concern that has been linked to greater risks of heart attack, stroke and atrial fibrillation in large population studies. Heart health is influenced by lifestyle factors including sleep, diet and exercise. To isolate the effects of sleep loss, the researchers controlled diet and physical activity in a laboratory setting.

Study design and participants

The study involved 16 healthy young men of normal weight with established healthy sleep habits. They spent time in a sleep laboratory during two sessions. In one session, they were allowed normal sleep for three consecutive nights. In the other, they slept approximately four hours per night. Throughout both sessions, blood samples were collected in the mornings and evenings, including after a 30-minute high-intensity exercise session.

Inflammatory proteins rise after sleep deprivation

The research team measured ~90 proteins in the blood. Many proteins associated with increased inflammation rose following sleep loss. Several of these proteins have been linked to higher risk of heart failure and coronary artery disease.

Previous studies focused mainly on older adults already at increased cardiovascular risk. This study showed similar increases in inflammatory proteins in younger, healthy individuals after only a few nights of sleep restriction. These results underscore the importance of sufficient sleep for heart health even early in life.

Exercise response partially preserved despite sleep loss

Physical exercise triggered a somewhat different protein response after sleep deprivation. However, key proteins linked to the beneficial effects of exercise increased equally regardless of sleep duration. Earlier research from the group indicated that exercising while sleep deprived may increase stress on heart muscle cells.

“With this study, we have improved our understanding of what role the amount of sleep we get plays in cardiovascular health. It’s important to point out that studies have also shown that physical exercise can offset at least some of the negative effects that poor sleep can cause. But it's also important to note that exercise cannot replace the essential functions of sleep,” said Dr. Jonathan Cedernaes.

This study improves understanding of sleep’s role in cardiovascular health. While exercise can mitigate some negative effects of poor sleep, it cannot replace the essential biological functions of sleep.

Next steps to inform guidelines

“Further research is needed to investigate how these effects might differ in women, older individuals, patients with heart disease, or those with different sleep patterns. Our ongoing research will hopefully help to develop better guidelines on how sleep, exercise and other lifestyle factors can be harnessed to better prevent cardiovascular diseases,” said Cedernaes.

 Ongoing research aims to develop better recommendations on how sleep, exercise and other lifestyle factors can be optimized to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Reference: Brandão LEM, Zhang L, Grip A, et al. The overlooked trio: sleep duration, sampling time and physical exercise alter levels of olink-assessed blood biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. Biomark Res. 2025;13(1). doi: 10.1186/s40364-025-00776-0

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