Sympathetic neural responses to 24-hour sleep deprivation in humans: sex differences
Open accessAbstract
Sleep deprivation has been linked to hypertension, and recent evidence suggests that associations between short sleep duration and hypertension are stronger in women. In the present study we hypothesized that 24 h of total sleep deprivation (TSD) would elicit an augmented pressor and sympathetic neural response in women compared with men. Resting heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were measured in 30 healthy subjects (age, 22 ± 1; 15 men and 15 women). Relations between spontaneous fluctuations of diastolic arterial pressure and MSNA were used to assess sympathetic baroreflex function. Subjects were studied twice, once after normal sleep and once after TSD (randomized, crossover design). TSD elicited similar increases in systolic, diastolic, and mean BP in men and women (time, P < 0.05; time × sex, P > 0.05). TSD reduced MSNA in men (25 ± 2 to 16 ± 3 bursts/100 heart beats; P = 0.02), but not women. TSD did not alter spontaneous sympathetic or cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivities in either sex. However, TSD shifted the spontaneous sympathetic baroreflex operating point downward and rightward in men only. TSD reduced testosterone in men, and these changes were correlated to changes in resting MSNA ( r = 0.59; P = 0.04). Resting HR, respiratory rate, and estradiol were not altered by TSD in either sex. In conclusion, TSD-induced hypertension occurs in both sexes, but only men demonstrate altered resting MSNA. The sex differences in MSNA are associated with sex differences in sympathetic baroreflex function (i.e., operating point) and testosterone. These findings may help explain why associations between sleep deprivation and hypertension appear to be sex dependent.
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Sleep loss and lower sleep duration are associated with lower morning, afternoon, and 24-h testosterone.
“When epidemiological and interventional studies are considered collectively, sleep loss and lower sleep duration are associated with lower morning, afternoon and 24-h testosterone; as well as higher afternoon, but not morning or 24-h cortisol.”
From Sleep, testosterone and cortisol balance, and ageing men (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
All in-laboratory studies when collectively examined show that sleep restriction decreases testosterone.
“All studies when collectively examined show that sleep restriction decreases testosterone.”
From Sleep, testosterone and cortisol balance, and ageing men (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
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- Authors
- Carter, J. R., Durocher, J. J., Larson, R. A., DellaValla, J. P., & Yang, H.
- Affiliations
- Michigan Technological University (US)
- Center for Sleep Medicine, Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Berlin, New Hampshire
- Corresponding author
- Carter, Jason R.
- Venue
- American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Published
- 2012-05-15
- Volume
- 302
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- H1991-H1997
- ISSN
- 0363-6135 (ISSN-L)
- 1522-1539
- PMC
- PMC3362107
- OpenAlex
- W2150819010
- Cited by
- 153
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 12.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Commons - Michigan Tech (Michigan Technological University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R21HL098676, HL098676)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies
- Keywords
- total sleep deprivation, sympathetic nervous system, sex differences, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, baroreflex sensitivity, hypertension, testosterone, resting heart rate, blood pressure, short sleep duration
- MeSH terms
- Blood Pressure, Estradiol, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Hypertension, Male, Sex Characteristics, Sleep Deprivation, Sympathetic Nervous System, Testosterone, Baroreflex, Young Adult
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