Kuetting believes the results of this pilot study are transferable to other professions in which long periods of uninterrupted labor are common. 'While the participants were not permitted to consume caffeine or food and beverages containing theobromine, such as chocolate, nuts or tea, we did not take into account factors like individual stress level or environmental stimuli.'Īs people continue to work longer hours or work at more than one job to make ends meet, it is critical to investigate the detrimental effects of too much work and not enough sleep. 'The study was designed to investigate real-life work-related sleep deprivation,' Dr. Kuetting notes that further study in a larger cohort is needed to determine possible long-term effects of sleep loss. In addition, the participants had significant increases in levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid hormones FT3 and FT4, and cortisol, a hormone released by the body in response to stress.Īlthough the researchers were able to perform follow-up examinations on half of the participants after regular sleep, Dr. The researchers also collected blood and urine samples from the participants and measured blood pressure and heart rate.įollowing short-term sleep deprivation, the participants showed significant increases in mean peak systolic strain (pre = -21.9 post = -23.4), systolic (112.8 118.5) and diastolic (62.9 69.2) blood pressure and heart rate (63.0 68.9). Breaking out in a sweat for no apparent reason, nausea/vomiting or severe indigestion with transient weakness Unusual fatigue or sleeplessness Pounding. 'Cardiac function in the context of sleep deprivation has not previously been investigated with CMR strain analysis, the most sensitive parameter of cardiac contractility,' Dr. Each of the study participants underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging with strain analysis before and after a 24-hour shift with an average of three hours of sleep.

Kuetting and colleagues recruited 20 healthy radiologists, including 19 men and one woman, with a mean age of 31.6 years. 'For the first time, we have shown that short-term sleep deprivation in the context of 24-hour shifts can lead to a significant increase in cardiac contractility, blood pressure and heart rate,' said study author Daniel Kuetting, M.D., from the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at the University of Bonn in Bonn, Germany.įor the study, Dr. While it is known that extreme fatigue can affect many physical, cognitive and emotional processes, this is the first study to examine how working a 24-hour shift specifically affects cardiac function. 1 It has been estimated to be as high as 44 among cardiac patients. The prevalence of insomnia is about 10-15 in the general US population and close to 20 in medical patients. People who work in fire and emergency medical services, medical residencies and other high-stress jobs are often called upon to work 24-hour shifts with little opportunity for sleep. Symptoms include fatigue, impaired concentration, decreased initiative, daytime sleepiness, poor performance, low mood, and irritability.

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