Sleep deprivation can hurt your liver, here’s why

While abundant scientific literature exists on disturbed sleep, obesity, and metabolic dysfunction, lack of sleep also impacts the health of our livers which detoxify themselves when we sleep.

According to Dr. Shivkumar R, Head and Senior Consultant in Neurology, Manipal Hospital, lack of sleep can disrupt this process, cause toxins to accumulate, and increase the stress on the liver.

This relationship is, however, two-way, as those with liver ailments have a late onset of sleep, reduced total sleep time, and reduced sleep efficiency (defined as the ratio of total sleep time to time in bed).

While for some people alcohol seems to help them fall asleep quickly, it eventually disturbs sleep. Even when consumed in moderate amounts shortly before going to bed, alcohol can severely disrupt sleep and leave you feeling sleep-deprived and tired the following day. This is because alcohol has a diuretic effect-that is it can cause more frequent urination resulting in sleep disruption.

Fatty liver issues

Insufficient sleep and sleep deprivation are linked to liver problems, particularly non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Studies have shown a strong association between shorter sleep duration, poor sleep quality, and an increased risk of developing NAFLD, a condition where excess fat accumulates in the liver.

Fatty liver disease, if left untreated, can lead to serious complications like cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure. It can also raise the chances of other medical disorders including heart disease and diabetes. Studies point to a strong correlation between insufficient (less than six hours) sleep duration and daytime sleepiness with NAFLD.

Similarly, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common sleep disorder associated with excess snoring and reduced oxygen saturation in sleep, has been linked to liver dysfunction and increased levels of transaminase (enzymes that synthesise amino acids into proteins) levels, potentially leading to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (accumulation of fat by the liver) and liver fibrosis (scarring).

Sleep deprivation also triggers oxidative stress in the liver resulting in premature cell death and liver cell lesions. Very little sleep is linked to metabolic dysfunction and chronic inflammation, which can contribute to the development of liver cancer and chronic liver disease.

Thus if you experience sleep deprivation, sleep apnea, obesity, diabetes, or indulge in excessive alcohol consumption, know that all of these can impact liver function, so medical consultation should be sought at the earliest.

 

Health