Insomnia breakthrough: Scientists discover the brain cells that age us also ...

Many of us go to bed early in the hope of getting our beauty sleep.

But research suggests how much shut eye we get may also determine how quickly we age and how susceptible we are to disease.

A new study by Oxford University reveals the 'internal stress' that ages our cells and can trigger ill health, also activates the neurones that control sleep. 

The scientists hope this will bring us one step closer to understanding the mysterious function of sleep, as well as enabling us to better treat insomnia.

Existing sleeping pills often become less effective over time and can carry nasty side effects, including drowsiness, hallucinations and breathing difficulties.  

Research suggests how much sleep we get may also determine how quickly we age (stock)

Research suggests how much sleep we get may also determine how quickly we age (stock)

The research was led by Professor Gero Miesenböck, director of the Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour.

Oxidative - or internal - stress occurs when there is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body.

Free radicals are oxygen-containing molecules that can damage tissue. 

And a lack of antioxidants means this harm cannot be sufficiently prevented or reversed. 

'It's no accident that oxygen tanks carry explosion hazard labels: uncontrolled combustion is dangerous,' Professor Miesenböck said. 

'Animals, including humans, face a similar risk when they use the oxygen they breathe to convert food into energy.

'Imperfectly contained combustion leads to "oxidative stress" in the cell. 

'This is believed to be a cause of ageing and a culprit for the degenerative diseases that blight our later years. 

'Our new research shows that oxidative stress also activates the neurons that control whether we go to sleep.'

To determine how sleep may affect our health, the researchers looked at fruit flies - the same insects that gave us an insight into our body clock nearly 50 years ago.

Fruit flies have a set of neurones that control their sleep patterns, with the same brain cells also being found in other animals and most likely humans. 

Past research suggests these neurones act like an 'on-off switch' - when the cells are active the fly is asleep and when they are inactive the insect is awake. 

Dr Seoho Song - a former graduate student in Professor Miesenböck's laboratory and co-lead author of the study - said: 'We decided to look for the signals that switch the sleep-control neurons on. 

'We knew from

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