Sleep Deprivation and Immunity A good night’s rest can chase away viruses, colds BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI As health officials continue to try and better understand COVID-19 and its emerging variants, many Arizonans are left wondering how best to protect themselves. In addition to washing your hands with hot water and soap, avoiding contact with those who are sick, and frequently disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, one of the best ways to protect against the COVID-19, the common cold and even the flu, is to boost your immune system. Because sleep is a natural immune booster, getting a good night’s rest is one of the easiest ways you can protect yourself. “If you’re healthy, you’re more likely to fight off any type of virus or cold,” says Amerisleep Chief Operating Officer Joey Holt. “A strong immune system will reduce the severity of any illness and help you recover quickly. When it comes to your immune system, one of the most important things you can do to keep it functioning properly is to get a full seven to nine hours of sleep each night.” In addition to a compromised immune system, sleeping less than the recommended seven to nine hours may result in a variety of health issues, including confusion, problems concentrating, distortion of memory, depression, or decreased mental capacity. Physical problems may also occur such as diminished coordination, reduced muscle strength, endurance, increased wear and tear on the organs, heightened pain sensitivity, disruption of insulin production and sugar metabolism, and an increased risk of diabetes. The most threatening physical outcome is a weakened immune system, which decreases the body’s chance of being able to fight against any bacterial or viral infection. “When everything is working correctly, and your body is in an overall healthy state, the immune system is more likely to ward off sickness,” says Amerisleep’s April Mayer. “But because the immune system connects to your central nervous system, changes elsewhere in the body, such as a lack of sleep or excessive stress, can impact immune function. Additionally, sleep affords the immune system the chance to recoup and reevaluate how best to attack invaders. Without enough
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mended seven to nine sleep, it will have a diffihours of sleep each cult time developing annight, Amerisleep rectibodies and keeping up ommends trying the foldefenses.” lowing ideas to improve A good night’s sleep sleep including dimming also improves the imthe lights and avoiding mune system’s response electronic light (blue time. When we cycle light) at least two hours through all four stagbefore bedtime, reduces of sleep, stage one ing irregular or long naps through REM, each stage during the daytime, and performs specific funcbe sure you’re sleeping tions that are importon a comfortable and ant for proper health. supportive mattress. TryOne of those functions ing to achieve adequate is the production of the sleep on a broken-down, protein cytokine which sagging mattress can helps the immune sysmake suitable rest diffitem respond to harmful cult to come by. pathogens. Cytokines Additional tips to increase cell to cell comimprove the quality of munication, enabling sleep include creating a the immune system to set bedtime and wake direct antibodies toup time to maintain wards specific infections. your body’s natural cir“If we don’t cycle cadian rhythm, avoiding through all four stagcaffeine at least six to es of sleep at least five seven hours before bed times each night during because the stimulant seven to nine hours of keeps your brain active, sleep, we may produce keeping your bedroom less cytokine,” Holt says. cool and comfortable “Without this vital probetween 60 and 67 detein, the immune system grees, decluttering and doesn’t have one of the removing any stress vital ingredients it needs triggers from your sleep to fight off viruses.” space, and keeping your Sleep also increases T bedroom dark by using Cell production. T Cells, blackout curtains, blinds also known as white or eye masks. blood cells, also play a viIf you get insufficient tal role in immune funcsleep, don’t accept sleep tion. These cells help the deprivation as normal. immune system attack Instead, focus on getting and destroy harmful more sleep and highcells. New research now er quality rest. To have shows that sleep can iman efficient and healthy prove your T Cell’s ability immune system, it’s imto fight off invaders. The immune system is better equipped to fight off the coronavirus, a cold or even the “Study participants flu in a person is getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night portant to make sleep a priority by having a conwho slept a full seven to while also going through five full sleep cycles from stage one to REM. (Photos courtesy of Amerisleep) sistent sleep schedule, eight hours had a greater T Cell activation, while those who lost time, making it possible for infections to setting boundaries in your work and social life and having a bedtime routine. two hours of sleep had a significant re- get past defensive barriers.” If you’re suffering from sleep depriduction in T Cell function,” Mayer says. “Sleep loss slowed down T Cell response vation or just aren’t getting the recomwww.LovinLife.com
