When it comes to healthy living, I always recommend starting with sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, then no amount of superfoods and super workouts will help. Everything will be in vain. On the eve of the autumn-winter season of colds and a riot of viruses, I consider it my duty to remind you that sleep plays an important role in how great your chances of getting sick are. Because a lack of sleep can greatly increase your chances of getting sick.
In a recent small study, researchers found that people who sleep 6 hours a night or less are 4 times more likely to get a cold infection.
The study involved 164 healthy people who wore special monitors on their wrists for a week to determine how many hours they slept each night. After a few weeks of studying their sleep patterns, the volunteers were exposed to rhinovirus, which is the most common cause of the common cold, and were placed in a hotel for 5 days. The researchers took tests from the participants daily.
The results showed that people who slept the least got sick first. Shorter sleep times have also been linked to the development of an inflammatory response, a critical body function that helps fight viruses.
These results give us additional insight into how much health depends on our habits and lifestyle.
Usually, experts recommend that adults get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, which is incomprehensible to most people. If you are having trouble sleeping, then I recommend reading my articles for advice on how to properly prepare for bed in order to get enough sleep.