Myths vs facts: CRP Entzündung and sleep

CRP (C-reactive protein) is a well-established inflammatory marker, primarily used in clinical practice for cardiovascular risk assessment (hsCRP). A common myth is that elevated CRP directly indicates poor sleep. In reality, observational studies show that chronic short or fragmented sleep (e.g., <6 h/night) is associated with modestly higher CRP levels, but the effect is small and non-specific. Many other factors (infections, smoking, obesity, stress) have a stronger influence. A single CRP test cannot diagnose sleep disorders. The evidence is human-observational; robust RCTs are lacking. For improving sleep, focus on sleep hygiene rather than CRP values. Elevated hsCRP warrants medical evaluation, but should not be misinterpreted as a sleep quality marker. Bottom line: CRP is a non-specific inflammation marker; sleep deprivation can slightly raise it, but clinical relevance is limited.