UT Study Looks At What A Lack Of Sleep Can Do To You

A new study at the University of Tennessee found several physical changes that too little sleep can cause.

Molecular biologist Albrecht von Arnim studied plants, but say the concepts may well translate to humans.

The study found that a sleeplessness can short-circuit your system and interfere with the cellular process controlling growth, physiological adaptation and brain activity.

"When we misalign our behavior with our circadian clock, for example by creating jet lag, or by working as a night owl, we do not only disrupt normal physiological processes such as cycles of appetite and body temperature," von Arnim said. "This work in plants suggests that we may also be interfering with a more fundamental cellular process, protein synthesis." 

The study is available online at http://www.plantcell.org/content/27/9/2582.long.