Sleep as a mediator of the stress-immune relationship
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 30, 2026

Eye Tracking, Cortisol, and a Sleep vs. Wake Consolidation Delay: Combining Methods to Uncover an Interactive Effect of Sleep and Cortisol on Memory
Published on: June 18, 2014
1Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Objective:
To evaluate the role of sleep in the relationship of intrusive thoughts/avoidance behaviors to natural killer cell (NKC) number and function.
Method:
Twenty-nine individuals seeking treatment for bereavement-related depression were studied in the sleep laboratory. Background and clinical variables, including the Impact of Event Scale (IES) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), were administered during the week preceding a 3-night sleep study. Blood samples were collected upon awakening after the second or third night of sleep.
Results:
Greater frequency of intrusive thoughts and avoidance behaviors was associated with more time spent awake during the first non-rapid eye movement period (NREM-1) and lower NKC number (p values < .01). Greater time spent awake during NREM-1 was associated with lower NKC numbers (p < .05). Regression analyses revealed that the significant relationship between symptoms of intrusion/avoidance and NKC number was no longer significant when time spent awake during NREM-1 was entered into the regression equation. Time spent awake during NREM-1 accounted for 12% of the variance in NKC number (p < .05), whereas intrusion/avoidance accounted for 7% of the variance in NKC number (NS).
Conclusions:
These results suggest that EEG-assessed sleep may be a significant correlate of the stress-immune relationship.
Related Concept Videos
Physiological Foundation of Stress
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Understanding Sleep
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques III
The Role of Exercise in Stress Management
Regular physical activity is essential for reducing stress and promoting cardiovascular health. Exercise strengthens the heart, enhances blood flow, keeps blood vessels flexible, and helps lower blood pressure, all of which reduce the body's stress response. Research shows that adults who exercise regularly have nearly half the risk...
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis
Stress Response System
Alarm stage
In the alarm stage, the body's initial...