Researchers find new link between a disrupted body clock and inflammatory diseases (Get better sleep)

Medical XPress / RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences / Frontiers in Immunology ^ | Nov. 24, 2021 | George A. Timmons et al

[ConservativeMind]

New research from RCSI has demonstrated the significant role that an irregular body clock plays in driving inflammation in the body's immune cells, with implications for the most serious and prevalent diseases in humans.

The circadian body clock generates 24-hour rhythms that keep humans healthy and in time with the day/night cycle. This includes regulating the rhythm of the body's own (innate) immune cells called macrophages. When these cell rhythms are disrupted (due to things like erratic eating/sleeping patterns or shift work), the cells produce molecules which drive inflammation. This can lead to chronic inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, obesity, arthritis, diabetes and cancer, and also impact our ability to fight infection.

In this study, the researchers looked at these key immune cells called macrophages with and without a body clock under laboratory conditions. They were interested to understand if macrophages without a body clock might use or 'metabolise' fuel differently, and if that might be the reason these cells produce more inflammatory products.

The researchers found that macrophages without a body clock took up far more glucose and broke it down more quickly than normal cells. They also found that, in the mitochondria (the cells energy powerhouse), the pathways by which glucose was further broken down to produce energy were very different in macrophages without a clock. This led to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which further fuelled inflammation.

Dr. George Timmons said: "Our results add to the growing body of work showing why disruption of our body clock leads to inflammatory and infectious disease."

Dr. Annie Curtis added: "This study also shows that anything which negatively impacts on our body clocks, such as insufficient sleep and not enough daylight, can impact on the ability of our immune system to work effectively."

[ConservativeMind]

Consider making changes to your sleep situation to see some relatively quick improvements in chronic inflammatory diseases.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

...anything which negatively impacts on our body clocks, such as...not enough daylight

That's a problem here at almost 48 degrees north. We are almost completely dark by 4 pm these days...and we still three weeks away from the Solstice.

[V K Lee]

That internal clock....a challenge in keeping correct time
when TPTB change our clocks twice a year. Depopulation by
design? Appears so. That their plan is to decimate the
population is conspiracy no more.

[Mygirlsmom]

If it were only that easy.

I think it’s a vicious circle...the inflammation likely contributes to sleep issues which in turn causes more inflammation

[oldvirginian]

“The circadian body clock generates 24-hour rhythms that keep humans healthy and in time with the day/night cycle.”

My body must have been AWOL when that circadian thingy was being programmed. I’ve ALWAYS been a night owl. My mom says I nearly drove them crazy when I was a baby because I didn’t want to sleep at night.
I’ve always felt more alert at night. Now I can barely drag myself through the day and perk up every night between 9 and 10. I’ll lay in the bed and toss and turn until sometime around 3 a.m. before falling asleep.
I’m about ready to say screw it and just keep my own schedule.

[nomorelurker]

Lot of famous people are like that. Churchill tended to work late into the night. Stalin worked in the early morning hours, lots of low level officials died early from having to work all day and still be awake for a 3am Stalin phone call. A lot just sat there chain smoking waiting for the call, if they did not answer, good chance it was off to the Gulag.

[SgtHooper]

It’s my overly-active wife! I’m a victim!

[vpintheak]

I work rotating shift work. I’m screwed.

[oldvirginian]

Churchill I don’t mind, he was a political thinker ahead of his time. Even if he did have to make deals with the devil (Stalin) to keep Russia in the war.

Stalin?? Well, bad with the good I guess. Old Josef did send a few hundred low rankers to the prison from which few returned. Fitting that he died of a heart attack because no one wanted to wake him.