Exercise, sleep and cytokines: Is there a relation?

Abstract

Physical exercise is a modality of non-pharmacological treatment for sleep disorders. Contradicting results are still found in studies of the effect of exercise on steep. Among the substances that have been described as steep modulators, cytokines produced during the recovery period after an acute exercise session are very important. Various studies have verified that physical exercise may alter the plasma concentration of the many pro-inflammatory cytokines that may in turn modulate steep. A number of factors seem to mediate this effect of exercise, including duration, intensity, and form of exercise, in addition to temperature and metabolic alterations. the mechanisms through which exercise promotes alterations in steep architecture remain to be clarified. Researchers speculate that many hormones and substances produced by metabolism may affect steep. Therefore, the object of this review is to discuss the effects of exercise and cytokines on steep, and the relation between these two steep-regulating components, raising the hypothesis that the alterations in steep promoted by exercise are mediated by cytokines, which, by increasing the nREM steep phase, would stimulate the regenerating characteristics of steep. (c) 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.