A body of research has found a connection between chronic diseases and sleep duration – whether that means sleeping a lot or sleeping very little.

People with both long and short sleep durations have been found to be at a greater risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity and death.

Now, a new study suggests that inflammation may be the missing link that leads to poor health among people who sleep for longer or shorter periods than normal.

Participants were asked to complete a survey about their sleep habits, as well as spend a night in a sleep lab.

According to findings published in the journal Sleep, each additional hour of self-reported sleep duration was linked to an increase in C-reactive protein of about 8 percent, as well as a rise in interleukin-6 by approximately 6 percent.

Both of these are inflammation-regulating cytokines, the scientists said. Meanwhile, every hour of sleep reduction seen in the lab was associated with an 8 percent rise in a different inflammation-regulating cytokine: tumor necrosis factor.

Oral chelation is one method used by people who want to reduce inflammation and maintain a healthy blood pressure.