Sleep and immune health: How dogs, goats and ‘factor S’ shaped a field

Chronic insufficient sleep kills! Although this statement has high ‘face validity’, it is only recently that empirical evidence existed to support it. There are now sufficient data for numerous meta-analyses and systematic reviews to demonstrate that chronic insufficient sleep is associated with many inflammatory pathologies that are a public health burden. As a result, it is now well accepted that sleep is important for physical and mental health. This awareness derives from research that began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and continues to the present day. In this narrative review we trace this rich history within the context of the research contributions of Professor James Krueger and his colleagues. The historic and current research by Professor Krueger and colleagues is fundamental to the many ongoing pre-clinical and clinical research programs focused on all aspects of sleep and immune health.