In a study of identical twins with different sleep cycles, researchers found the twin that got less sleep had a depressed immune system, according to coverage from UW Health Sciences News Beat.
The findings were published in the journal Sleep.
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Researchers from UW Medicine Sleep Center at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle studied the sleep habits of 11 sets of identical twins in "real world" conditions. They used twins as genetics account for 31 to 55 percent of sleep duration, while behavior and environment make up the rest.
"What we show is that the immune system functions best when it gets enough sleep. Seven or more hours of sleep is recommended for optimal health," said Nathaniel Watson, MD, a neurologist and sleep specialist and the study's lead author.