“Guarding Your Health in Your Sleep: The NK Cell Connection”
- Rithu B S
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 26
In our busy lives, we often prioritize heavy workloads, social events, and constant phone scrolling over getting enough sleep. Instead of viewing sleep as a biological necessity, many people view it as a luxury.
Why, in your opinion, do doctors advise getting at least 8 to 9 hours of quality sleep each day?
"sleep is a natural therapy for body"
Your body will punish you by making you a victim if you deprive it of sleep.
Let's explore this subject in depth!
Sleep is regarded as the foundation of immune health; if it is interrupted, the body's natural processes are disrupted.
Now lets get to some basics of immunology to understand how this system works.
Our body has two main types of immune defence :
Innate immunity : First responder , it acts immediately when a threat appears.
Acquired immunity : Takes longer time to activate because it builds the memory to understand and being prepared if same invader returns.
In our everyday life, we frequently face viral infections like flu or experience damage to our cells due to lifestyle factors like stress, poor diet and lack of sleep. It is very important to remove these damaged cells from our body because these cells malfunction leading to cancer.
Hence identifying and removing these malfunctions cells are performed by the innate immunity, A vigilant immune system especially like Natural killer cells play a central role in internal surveillance to ensure these damaged cells are destroyed before they cause any greater harm .
Now how is NK cells related to sleep pattern ?
Natural killer (NK) cells rely on specific chemical signals cytokines to become activated and carry out their immune defense functions. These cytokines are produced in higher amounts during deep, restorative sleep at night. Research shows that missing just one night of sleep can reduce NK cell efficiency by as much as 70%.
The reason cytokine release peaks at night is tied to our body’s circadian rhythm the internal biological clock that coordinates various processes over a 24-hour cycle. During deep sleep, the body prioritizes repair and recovery functions, shifting resources toward immune activity.
Hormonal changes at night, such as reduced cortisol and increased melatonin, create an environment that stimulates cytokine production. This nighttime surge supports immune readiness while conserving energy for daytime activities.
Connection to cancer:
Research suggest that chronically low NK cell activity may allow the abnormal cells to escape the immune surveillance, which may lead to cancer.
Sleep is just a shutdown for your mind but it's the maintenance time for the body !!
If you care about your longevity , immunity , vitality then guard your sleep like you would guard your health.
References:
Szataniak, I., & Packi, K. (2025). Melatonin as the missing link between sleep deprivation and immune dysregulation: A narrative review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26(14), Article 6731. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26146731 MDP
Sang, D., Lin, K., Yang, Y., Ran, G., Li, B., Chen, C., Li, Q., Ma, Y., Lu, L., Cui, X.-Y., Liu, Z., Lv, S.-Q., Luo, M., Liu, Q., Li, Y., & Zhang, E. E. (2023). Prolonged sleep deprivation induces a cytokine-storm-like syndrome in mammals. Cell, 186(25), 5500–5516.e21.
da Silveira, G. F., Ceolim, M. F., Lichtenfels, A. J., Souza, C. M., Forti, J. C., & Machado, M. M. (2015). Sleep-deprivation reduces NK cell number and function mediated by β-adrenergic-signaling. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 45, 190–196. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25929826/ PubMed
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