The Effects of Acute Sleep Deprivation on Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Responses to Simulated Wildland Firefighting

Objective – Evaluate the combined effects of sleep deprivation and simulated wildland firefighting on systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Methods – Ten participants performed two exercise trials while exposed to woodsmoke following one night of normal sleep or sleep deprivation (4-hours) in a crossover design. Blood biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation were quantified through ELISAs. Results – Interleukin-6 significantly increased after simulated wildland firefighting (p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.74), with no effect of sleep deprivation. Oxidative stress markers (8-Isoprostanes, 3-Nitrotyrosine, Myeloperoxidase) showed no significant changes or interactions. Conclusion – Simulated wildland firefighting elicits an inflammatory response but does not alter oxidative stress markers. Acute sleep deprivation did not to modulate these responses. Future research should explore the cumulative effects of prolonged sleep restriction and repeated woodsmoke exposure to better understand their impact on inflammation and oxidative stress.