Cited by 331Stress Responses and CortisolSleep and Wakefulness ResearchSleep and related disorders

The influence of sleep on human hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity: a systematic review

van Dalfsen, Jens H., Markus, C. Rob·2018·Sleep Medicine Reviews

Abstract

Inadequate sleep is highly prevalent and known to decline both physical- and mental health. Literature suggests that altered functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis might underlie this association. This assumption is mainly based on changes in basal neuroendocrine activity and it is of equal importance to elucidate whether sleep may also influence HPA stress responsiveness. The present review provides a complete outline of recent human studies that have investigated how different aspects of sleep influence cortisol reactivity to laboratory stress. From the available data it can be concluded that both objective and subjective decrements in sleep quality potentiate the stress reactivity of the HPA axis. On the contrary, normal variations in sleep duration do not seem to influence cortisol stress responsiveness whereas excessive daytime sleepiness is associated with a blunting of the cortisol response. Given its well-established health consequences, sensitization of the HPA axis might well be a crucial component linking inadequate sleep to stress-related pathology.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.smrv.2017.10.002

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Authors
van Dalfsen, J. H., & Markus, C. R.
Affiliations
Maastricht University (NL)
Venue
Sleep Medicine Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-06
Volume
39
Pages
187-194
ISSN
1087-0792 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2765534164
Cited by
329
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 46 · 2025: 85 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 13
FWCI
1.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Sleep Medicine Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
Keywords
sleep, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, HPA axis reactivity, cortisol, stress reactivity, sleep quality, sleep duration, excessive daytime sleepiness, insufficient sleep, neuroendocrine function
MeSH terms
Humans, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Sleep, Stress, Psychological

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