The Link Between Sleep and Immune Health: How Good Sleep Supports the Immune System

Why is the Immune System Important?

At this point, you may be wondering why you even need to worry about your immune system. What does it actually do? Well, it turns out the immune system does a lot of important things for your body. The National Institutes of Health puts it quite eloquently when they say:

The immune system has a vital role: It protects your body from harmful substances, germs and cell changes that could make you ill. It is made up of various organs, cells and proteins. As long as your immune system is running smoothly, you don't notice that it's there.

Basically, your immune system can prevent you from getting sick. Studies have shown conclusively that the immune system fortifies your body against viruses and can lessen the severity of infections.

There are two major partitions of the immune system: the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is what defends your body when you are exposed to bacteria and viruses. The adaptive immune system, “involves specialized immune cells and antibodies that attack and destroy foreign invaders and are able to prevent disease in the future by remembering what those substances look like and mounting a new immune response.”

This means the adaptive immune system is what gives your body the blueprint for fighting off illnesses once they have been encountered. Both parts of the whole immune system need to be kept in good health.

How Does Sleep Help the Immune System?

To understand the important link between sleep and immune system function, you have to understand what happens to your body when you sleep. In your sleep, your body produces important proteins called cytokines.

Cytokines are pivotal in the fight against disease and infection which is why it’s important to sleep well to ensure a healthy level of cytokine release. Furthermore, studies have proven that people who don’t get enough sleep are much more susceptible to viruses when compared to people who get a healthy amount of sleep on a regular basis.

It’s also important to understand the role of antibodies in overall health. Antibodies help the body fend off various infections. When we sleep, our body produces antibodies much like it does cytokines. So people who don’t get an adequate amount of sleep may be lacking antibodies that can help the immune system prevent infections and diseases. All of this begs the question…

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

Sleep and immune system response are intrinsically interwoven. However, there is not exactly a universal rubric as to how much sleep you need for optimal immune health. That’s because we need different amounts of sleep at different stages of our lives. Here is a general recommendation for sleep based on age:

• Seniors - Adults older than 60 should get about 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
• Adults - The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7-8 hours.
• Adolescents - Teenagers should get about 9-10 hours of sleep per night.
• Children - Young children need the most sleep. It is recommended that children get 10+ hours of sleep.

Even though there is no concrete rule as to how much sleep you should be getting to support your immune system, you may have recognized a pattern in the list above. You’ll notice that at no point in your development will you need less than 7 hours of sleep. In fact, a Yale Medicine study concluded that:

Studies have shown that those who chronically get less than seven hours of sleep a night are three times as likely to develop the common cold compared to those who routinely get eight hours or more of sleep,

What Weakens the Immune System?

In addition to getting enough sleep to properly support your immune system, you should know some of the things that weaken it. Unfortunately, there are lots of things that can compromise your immune health. Here are some of the most common factors:

• Smoking - Smoking lowers the level of disease-fighting antioxidants in the bloodstream. Antioxidants also fight off free radical cell damage which can harm organs.
• Drinking - Drinking alcohol creates a disconnect between vital organs and your immune system. It can also throw off your gut microbiome balance, leaving you more susceptible to infection.
• Stress - Stress and anxiety also have been shown to weaken the immune system. In fact, stressful thoughts can inhibit immune response in just a half hour.
• Surgical Procedures - Recovering from a surgical procedure can drain nutrition and resources from your body that would otherwise go towards strengthening your immune system. Your body is also more vulnerable to infections after surgery.
• Poor Nutrition - Certain foods strengthen your immune system. When you are not getting enough of these foods in your diet, it can weaken your immune system.
• Lack of Sleep - Of course, getting less than seven hours of sleep regularly can seriously hinder your immune response.

Sleep Tips for Immune Health

Sleep and immune system health can be tricky because many of us find it exceedingly difficult to get a good night’s sleep. However, there are plenty of things you can try to improve your sleep volume and quality:

• White Noise - If sound pollution seems to be your main adversary, try utilizing a white noise machine. Some people simply turn on a ceiling fan to generate white noise while they sleep. You can also look up white noise videos online.
• Tire Your Body Out - When your body is tired, it’s easier to fall asleep. For this reason, it could be helpful to engage in some light exercise about an hour before bedtime.
• Reading and Music - Likewise, your brain needs to be in a restful state to fall asleep. So it can be useful to try reading a book before sleep or listening to some relaxing music.
• Food Schedule - Eating late at night or close to your bedtime can cause disruptive changes to your digestive system. This makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Avoid eating within a couple of hours before bedtime.
• Adjust Temperature - Your sleep environment is also important for a good night’s rest. If possible, condition the temperature in your room so that it is comfortable for you. Air conditioners are ideal for this, but you can also use a fan or simply open up a window to achieve a congenial temperature.

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