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Snooze Your Way to a Stronger Immune System
June 11, 2024 Shari Berg

Snooze Your Way to a Stronger Immune System

Life can get hectic. Amid the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to push sleep to the bottom of your priority list. Do this too often, though, and you can quickly find yourself suffering from sleep deprivation that compromises your immune system.

Getting the recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night helps your body fight off invaders like bacteria and viruses that attack your immune system and make you sick.

The complexity of your biological makeup includes an intricate dance between sleep and immunity. This blog explores those connections, answering some commonly asked questions on the topic, including:

How does sleep impact the immune system?

Sleep as a problem? The idea can seem almost ridiculous if you're lucky enough to routinely fall asleep – and stay asleep -- easily. But don't be fooled. While sleep may seem like a passive state, resting is actually a dynamic process that plays a significant role in how well your immune system functions.

Adequate, good-quality sleep is a cornerstone of overall health. It boosts your body’s defense mechanisms against infections, illnesses, and other health challenges.

Understanding the immune system

Your immune system is a complex network of cells, molecules, and tissues that collaborate to defend your body against harmful invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that make you sick.

It’s a multifaceted defense system that includes:

  • Innate immunity – your body’s immediate response to foreign substances.
  • Adaptive immunity – your body’s specialized response to repeated exposure to specific pathogens.

The immune system involves several key players, including white blood cells, antibodies, and cytokines. Meanwhile, blood cells, such as T and B cells, play a central role in identifying and neutralizing foreign threats.

Antibodies, produced by B cells, target and neutralize specific antigens. Cytokines act as messengers, coordinating immune cell activity and inflammation levels.

Sleep and immune function

The connection between sleep and the immune system is a dynamic and bidirectional relationship. Adequate sleep is crucial for maintaining a well-functioning immune system, which in turn supports quality sleep.

During a restful night’s sleep, your body undergoes critical processes that contribute to immune system maintenance. One of these processes involves the production and release of cytokines. These small proteins regulate immune cell communication, making sure your body recognizes and neutralizes threats.

When you’re already fighting an illness, sleep is a necessary component for conserving energy and allocating resources toward recovery.

Sleep deprivation leads to a reduction in the production of cytokines and immune cells, leaving your body less equipped to fend off infections.

What lifestyle factors contribute to sleep deprivation?

Some people suffer from chronic conditions that can prevent them from enjoying a restful night’s sleep. However, certain lifestyle factors contribute to sleep deprivation as well.

Juggling multiple responsibilities at home or work can leave you with a packed schedule that leaves little time for adequate sleep. Constantly rushing from one activity to another wears you out physically and mentally.

Keeping up such a hectic pace eventually catches up to you when your body can’t fight off an infection and you end up down for the count.

Other lifestyle choices that impact your sleep include:

  • Alcohol and caffeine consumption. Downing your fourth cup of coffee for the day? That decision might come back to haunt you later when you can’t fall or stay asleep. Drinking too much alcohol – especially close to bedtime – can have a similar effect.
  • Lack of physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle devoid of regular physical activity negatively impacts your sleep quality. Exercise is known to improve sleep by promoting relaxation and helping to regulate your body’s hormonal balance and circadian rhythm.
  • Poor eating habits. Consuming heavy, spicy, or large meals close to bedtime can cause discomfort and indigestion, making it harder to fall asleep. Additionally, poor dietary choices such as consuming overly-processed foods and sugary items can cause hormonal imbalances and interfere with your body’s circadian rhythm.

These certainly aren’t the only lifestyle factors contributing to your inability to get a restful night’s sleep. However, they are among the most common mistakes people make.

What are the effects of sleep deprivation on immunity?

Sleep, often considered a non-negotiable aspect of well-being, plays an integral role in maintaining a strong and resilient immune system. When sleep becomes a scarce commodity because of various lifestyle habits, the consequences on immunity are far-reaching and profound.

Chronic sleep deprivation can compromise the body’s ability to defend itself against infections and contribute to the development of chronic health conditions.

Two of the most detrimental ways sleep deprivation affects your immunity include:

  • Increased susceptibility to infections. Adequate sleep is crucial for the body’s immune response against invading pathogens. Without enough quality sleep each night, your body becomes more susceptible to infections. That’s because your body needs enough downtime to produce immune cells, cytokines, and antibodies needed to recognize and eliminate pathogens. Research supports the finding that people who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation are more likely to catch common infections like colds and the flu.
  • Chronic conditions and immune compromises. Prolonged sleep loss increases your risk of developing chronic health conditions. Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of various conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. When sleep is consistently inadequate, your immune system’s ability to regulate inflammation and maintain a balanced response is impaired.

What are some tips for improving sleep quality?

The world buzzes with constant activity and demands. It makes achieving a good night’s sleep an elusive goal sometimes.

Yet, the quality of your sleep holds the key to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. When you don’t get enough rest, you risk more than feeling sluggish the next day. You’re potentially setting yourself up for a chronic illness when your immune system can’t function as intended.

Not all is lost. There are steps you can take to encourage a restful night’s sleep.

Establishing a sleep routine

Establishing a sleep routine is one of the most important things you can do to prevent sleep deprivation. Make it a priority to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Yes, this means weekends, too.

There’s no such thing as “making up for lost sleep.” Once you lose it, you create a sleep deficit that can never be reversed.

Consistency helps regulate your body’s internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. Once you get into this routine, your immune system gets the maintenance it needs overnight to function optimally.

Creating a sleep-friendly environment

Creating a relaxing bedtime routine and engaging in calming activities before bed encourages more restful sleep.

Reading, gentle stretching, or practicing deep breathing techniques signals to your body that it’s time to wind down for the day.

Make sure your room is dark and cool. Invest in black-out curtains if you live in an area with nighttime lighting that interferes with your sleep routine.

You can also consider using an all-natural sleep aid like an aromatherapy sleep inhaler to combat sleep deprivation. It uses essential oils of hops, lavender, marjoram, and vanilla to encourage faster sleep and support deeper sleep cycles.

Making healthy choices

Eating a well-balanced diet and getting enough regular physical activity helps you sleep better at night. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime and limit your caffeine intake throughout the day.

Learn mindfulness techniques to manage your stress and anxiety. Limiting naps during the day to no more than one, 30-minute session helps prevent difficulty falling asleep later.

Limit screen time before bed – tablets, phones, computers, TVs – to ensure the blue light from these devices doesn’t interfere with melatonin production.

Once you make a routine of all (or most) of this, you're likely to find that it's not very complicated. Just imagine replacing habitual sleeplessness with relaxing repose. It's a goal that's so worth the effort. Take care, and sweet dreams.

Shari Berg is a researcher, frequent blogger, feature writer, and author of Wars End with Me.  

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