Researchers at the [removed]Peter Munk Cardiac Centre[/removed] of the Toronto General Hospital
found that persistent sleep disruption can cause heart disease and kidney
disease.

Though the study was conducted on hamsters, and not humans, researchers
found that when internal biological clocks are out of sync with external
influences of biological rhythms (such as light), the heart can become
enlarged and damaged, and the kidneys can sustain significant scarring.

“Disrupted circadian rhythms have a devastating effect on the heart, kidney,
and possibly other organs,” says Michael Sole, MD, cardiologist and founding
director of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and professor of medicine and
physiology at the University of Toronto.

Previous studies by Sole suggested that renewal of cardiovascular tissues
takes place mostly during sleep, leaving sleep interruption to directly
damage organs.

Workers whose jobs cause sleep disruption, such as truck drivers and shift
workers, are known to have higher than average prevalence of cardiovascular
disease. Sole suggests these workers maintain a consistent work schedule for
at least a month in order to allow the body to readjust its clock to
external cues.