Sleep loss may impact blood vessels

Sleep loss has been linked to cardiovascular disease. Researchers think that the sleep loss my cause inflammation that negatively affects blood vessels. This study showed that short term sleep loss did negatively affect blood vessels. Researchers took 8 people and had them sleep only 4 hours a night for 3 nights. By second night of sleep loss, there was significant impact on blood vessels. But by the third night of sleep loss, things had returned to normal. So chronic, nightly sleep loss may allow for compensation. But if people lose sleep for 1-2 nights, then sleep normally a few nights, followed by another 1-2 nights of poor sleep may be at increased risk due to the effects on blood vessels.