In addition to vaccines, proper nutrition and exercise, one of the most effective ways to fight off illness is to make sure you get enough sleep.  In fact, several recent studies point to shut-eye as a way to boost the immune system, including one led by Sheldon Cohen, MD, at Carnegie Mellon University.  In his test, adults agreed to have cold viruses sprayed up their noses and then wait five days in a hotel to see if they got sick.  When the five days were complete, the majority of the participants had become infected with the virus but not all of them developed a cold.  The research revealed that those participants who got at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night were less likely to become sick with the common cold.

Though the exact ways sleep works and how it rejuvenates the body’s immune system are still a mystery, sleep experts agree that adequate rest is necessary to keep a healthy body.  The National Sleep Foundation says getting the right amount of sleep is part of the “staying well” puzzle.  “Research shows that everyone needs sleep, and that it’s a critical factor in you health, weight and energy level”, says Dr. Marc Schlosberg, a neurologist who works with the sleep lab at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, also in Washington D.C. “Plus, it cuts down on stress”.

Simmon Better Sleep News