Daytime sleepiness and saliva hormones fluctuations in men under toxic stress

Abstract

The level of cortisol and testosterone in the morning and evening saliva samples and self-assessment of sleep were studied in adolescents and adults living in low and high chemical pollution regions (according the accumulation of cadmium in the hair). In the conditions of the relatively normal environment the changes in hormones level in form of its rise in the morning and decrease in the evening were noted in both age groups. In the conditions of the toxic stress the average levels of hormones increased, the morning-evening gradient disappeared. These conditions were also associated with an increase in daytime sleepiness. It was concluded that cadmium has negative impact on the sleep-wake cycle and the endocrine regulation system. In particular, the changes in hormonal levels indicate the possibility of internal desynchronosis