Sleep ; Immune system ; Inflammation ; Cytokines ; COVID-19
Abstract
Sleep regulates the major effectors of the central nervous system, such as the hypothalamus–pituitary–
adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Sleep affects the distribution of immune cells and the pro duction of inflammatory cytokines to regulate the immune system. The immune response from viral/bacteri al infection can affect sleep structures. Regular sleep pattern can strengthen the immune system, enabling an
individual’s effective immunity, while sleep deprivation can also imbalance the immune system, which can
make it vulnerable to infection. Sleep and the immune system have these reciprocal relationships. During the
COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of various sleep disorders, including insomnia, increased significantly. We
should realize how important regular and healthy sleep habits are and how vulnerable human sleep is to
changes in the environment or social situation. In this paper, we investigate how sleep and the immune sys tem interact with each other from an immunological perspective, and summarize the changes in the immune
responses in the human body and its effects on sleep when any infectious diseases occur.