Nighttime Habit DESTROYING Your Immune System
Want to slash your risk of catching an ugly virus and coming down with a nasty cold or flu this winter?
Yes? Then you need to focus on supporting your immune system.
It’s your first line of defense and your greatest ally against everything from mild infections to chronic diseases.
Unfortunately, many common lifestyle habits chip away at your immune system.
One, in particular, could be destroying your natural defenses. And that’s especially true if you’re an older adult.
If you’re like many seniors, your sleep habits have changed as you’ve aged.
Maybe you find yourself struggling to fall asleep.
Or perhaps you wake up at 3 a.m. and can’t get back to sleep.
But whatever the cause, many seniors average less than seven hours of sleep per night. And that’s bad news for your immune system.
In a recent study, researchers drew blood from older adults who slept about eight hours per night (the recommended amount).
Then they shortened the volunteer’s overnight sleep schedule to six and a half hours per night for six weeks and retook blood samples.
The samples showed that shaving over an hour off of their sleep time sent the number of immune cells in their bodies soaring.
But unfortunately, that ISN’T a sign of a strong immune system. Instead, it’s a red flag that it’s under extreme stress.
Ultimately, this overreaction triggers inflammation throughout the body. This is why regularly losing sleep can increase your risk of chronic inflammatory conditions like sepsis, heart disease, and dementia.
The study didn’t evaluate whether these results were temporary or permanent. But even a temporary hit to your immune defenses can leave you vulnerable to viruses and other invaders.
Aim to clock in at around eight hours of good, quality shuteye a night to support your immune system.
If you’re struggling to get the right amount of sleep, try resetting your circadian rhythm by exposing yourself to more sunlight.
P.S. Still having trouble sleeping? Boost your melatonin levels… but not by taking a supplement. Give your body what it needs to MAKE more of it instead. Here’s how.
SOURCE:
“Sleep exerts lasting effects on hematopoietic stem cell function and diversity,” J Exp Med (2022) 219 (11): e20220081, https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20220081