Sleep Deprivation: A Deeper Dive Into Mitochondrial Damage, and Transformative Therapy Limerick Cork and ONLINE  Nutritionist, Counselling, Hypnotherapy ONLINE

Why Sleep Matters Much More Than You Think

Sleep is more than just a break from your day—it’s when your body repairs, your mind recharges, and your immune system strengthens. Quality sleep supports everything from mental clarity and mood balance to metabolic health and cellular rejuvenation.

Yet despite its known critical role in our overall well-being, nearly 1 in 3 adults in Ireland, UK and United States reports sleeping less than 7 hours per night.¹ That’s far below the recommended amount for optimal health. And it’s not just about feeling groggy or irritable—it’s about your long-term health, energy levels, and quality of life.

Sleep deprivation is more common than ever, and it’s impacting people of all backgrounds. A significant uptick in sleep issues began in 2013, especially among African-American and Hispanic adults.¹ While a 2018 report from the National Sleep Foundation found that sleep quality was slightly improving,² millions still wake up tired and unrefreshed—sometimes without understanding why.

Even with increasing public awareness around the benefits of sleep, many individuals continue to struggle with poor sleep quality or persistent daytime fatigue. And fatigue is just the tip of the iceberg—adults sleeping less than seven hours are more likely to report chronic conditions like depression, arthritis, diabetes, and asthma.³

Do You Feel Tired All the Time? It Might Be More Than Just “Not Enough Sleep”

If you struggle with any of the following symptoms,  you might be suffering from chronic sleep deprivation or an undiagnosed sleep disorder:

  • Trouble falling or staying asleep

  • Waking up feeling unrested

  • Mid-day energy crashes or brain fog

  • Mood swings or irritability

  • Chronic pain that worsens with poor rest

But it doesn’t stop there. Lack of sleep doesn’t just leave you tired—it leaves you vulnerable.

Adults who consistently sleep less than 7 hours a night are at greater risk of developing at least 10 serious health conditions, including:³

  • Depression & anxiety

  • High blood pressure

  • Heart disease

  • Obesity

  • Type 2 diabetes

  • Asthma

  • Arthritis

  • Stroke

  • Chronic pain disorders

  • Weakened immune response

  • Inflammation and Inflammatory Conditions

Sleep plays a vital role in regulating hormones, detoxifying the brain, managing inflammation, and powering the mitochondria—your cells’ energy generators. Without enough rest, your entire system is thrown off balance.

At the Cellular Level: Mitochondrial Consequences of Sleep Deprivation

Recent research has turned to the cellular effects of poor sleep, particularly its impact on mitochondria—the cell’s powerhouse. Sleep deprivation has been linked to oxidative stress and disruptions in mitochondrial function.⁴⁻⁶ These organelles not only generate energy (ATP) but are also sensitive to both acute and chronic stressors, which can lead to cellular dysfunction.⁷

Mitochondria operate both as targets and mediators of physiological stress, suggesting that sleep may serve a protective function against oxidative damage.⁵⁻⁸

Circadian Rhythms, Mitochondria, and Sleep

A growing body of evidence connects circadian rhythms—the body’s internal clock—with energy metabolism and antioxidant defenses.⁹ A 2018 study using human and animal models demonstrated that the circadian system regulates mitochondrial shape and oxidative function.⁹ Another study on Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) showed that sleep deprivation reduced mitochondrial bioenergetic capacity and oxidative phosphorylation.⁴

Additionally, in a 36-hour military-style survival training, young men undergoing sleep deprivation experienced increased oxidative stress, impaired antioxidant defense, and muscle damage.¹⁰ This underscores the real-world physiological toll of disrupted sleep.

Interventions: Supporting Sleep and Mitochondrial Health

1. Nutrition-Based Support
Certain nutrients can bolster mitochondrial resilience and reduce oxidative stress:

  • Omega-3 fatty acids

  • Antioxidants (e.g., vitamin C, zinc)

  • B vitamins (especially B12 and folic acid)

  • Magnesium⁵

Melatonin-rich foods, such as milk and tart cherry juice, may also enhance sleep. A 2020 meta-review of randomized controlled trials found that these natural sources helped improve sleep quality across age groups.¹¹ One particular study revealed that a week of tart cherry juice significantly increased urinary melatonin and improved sleep duration and quality.¹²

2. Mind-Body Therapies and Exercise
A 2019 meta-analysis of 49 studies found that practices like meditation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga significantly improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia.¹³ Interestingly, qigong had a slight edge over tai chi in improving sleep outcomes.

In a 2020 trial, elderly participants practicing Baduanjin qigong five times a week for 24 weeks reported better sleep and overall quality of life compared to a control group.¹⁴

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may also help. A 2021 study involving sleep-restricted young men found that HIIT preserved mitochondrial function, glucose tolerance, and circadian rhythms, which were otherwise negatively impacted by lack of sleep.¹⁵

Conclusion

Sleep remains a cornerstone of human health, influencing everything from immunity to cellular energy production. Understanding and addressing sleep quality through clinical assessment, nutritional strategies, and therapeutic movement practices can mitigate the broad-reaching effects of sleep deprivation.

For us registered Nutritionist clinicians and our clients and patients alike, I hope little dive into the biology of sleep serves as a call to prioritise rest—not just as a lifestyle habit, but as a clinical imperative.

Contact Claire Russell Therapy by text or phone to discuss how I can help

REFERENCES

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  2. Sleep health index scores: 2018. National Sleep Foundation. Accessed January 27, 2020. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/shi
  3. Sleep and sleep disorders: data & statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published May 2, 2017. Accessed May 14, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
  4. Rodrigues NR, Macedo GE, Martins IK, et al. Short-term sleep deprivation with exposure to nocturnal light alters mitochondrial bioenergetics in Drosophila. Free Radic Biol Med. 2018;120:395-406. doi:1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.04.549
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  6. Melhuish Beaupre LM, Brown GM, Braganza NA, Kennedy JL, Gonçalves VF. Mitochondria’s role in sleep: novel insights from sleep deprivation and restriction studies. World J Biol Psychiatry. Published online May 6, 2021. doi:1080/15622975.2021.1907723
  7. Picard M, McEwen BS. Psychological stress and mitochondria: a systematic review. Psychosom Med. 2018;80(2):141-153. doi:1097/PSY.0000000000000545
  8. Hill VM, O’Connor RM, Sissoko GB, et al. A bidirectional relationship between sleep and oxidative stress in Drosophila. PLoS Biol. 2018;16(7):e2005206. doi:1371/journal.pbio.2005206
  9. Schmitt K, Grimm A, Dallmann R, et al. Circadian control of DRP1 activity regulates mitochondrial dynamics and bioenergetics. Cell Metab. 2018;27(3):657-666.e5. doi:1016/j.cmet.2018.01.011
  10. Jówko E, Ró?a?ski P, Tomczak A. Effects of a 36-h survival training with sleep deprivation on oxidative stress and muscle damage biomarkers in young healthy men. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(10):E2066. doi:3390/ijerph15102066
  11. Pereira N, Naufel MF, Ribeiro EB, Tufik S, Hachul H. Influence of dietary sources of melatonin on sleep quality: a review. J Food Sci. 2020;85(1):5-13. doi:1111/1750-3841.14952
  12. Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, Middleton B, McHugh MP, Ellis J. Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Eur J Nutr. 2012;51(8):909-916. doi:1007/s00394-011-0263-7
  13. Wang X, Li P, Pan C, Dai L, Wu Y, Deng Y. The effect of mind-body therapies on insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:9359807. doi:1155/2019/9359807
  14. Fan B, Song W, Zhang J, et al. The efficacy of mind-body (Baduanjin) exercise on self-reported sleep quality and quality of life in elderly subjects with sleep disturbances: a randomized controlled trial. Sleep Breath. 2020;24(2):695-701. doi:1007/s11325-019-01999-w
  15. Saner NJ, Lee MJ, Kuang J, et al. Exercise mitigates sleep-loss-induced changes in glucose tolerance, mitochondrial function, sarcoplasmic protein synthesis, and diurnal rhythms. Mol Metab. 2021;43:101110. doi:1016/j.molmet.2020.101110