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Signs of sleep debt found in the blood

Going without slumber makes metabolic molecules dwindle

Person napping

DON’T SNOOZE, YOU LOSE  Scientists can identify when people are sleep deprived by noting declines in certain molecules in their blood.

Evgeny Atamanenko/Shutterstock

By Kate Baggaley

- More than 2 years ago

A drop in certain fats and acids in the blood may reveal whether a person is critically sleep deprived, scientists report online February 9 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.