Keep The Doctor Away With The Good Night Sleep
It is officially that time of the year when we need to be cautious about the flu in the air. Many people who are extremely sensitive and catch flu very easily. Even when they make sure that they get their room or even the entire house disinfected.
There is one very tiny thing which many people miss out and are not even aware of. You would be surprised to know that not sleeping well deeply affects the immune system, metabolism, reflexes and many other natural processes inside the body. Sleeping well is essential not just for the season of flu, but it should be done throughout the year.
Your body’s immune system gets stronger with this very simple yet very effective habit. A healthy immune system allows you to freely enjoy and do the things that you cherish and that too without an age bar. Even if you have crossed your 70’s and have a strong immune system, you can even expect your body to allow you to do a hardcore workout on a daily basis and for this, all you need to do is, get ample sleep.
Here are some examples and theories which tell us how sleep is so important for a healthy immune system
1. Lack of sleep affects your immune system.
The immune system has multiple processes, and thus it is very complex. There are various cells present in our body, and the white blood cells are responsible for fighting the diseases or keeping the immunity strong. Another type of the white blood cells are T-cells which are mostly focused on destroying the viruses and the bacteria.
The scientists have found through research and study that if you are not sleeping well, the amount of the T-cells can tremendously decrease. With the lack of T-cells, the defence mechanism of the body slows down, and the flu and other viruses can easily infect you.
When you are not getting enough sleep that your body needs, the inflammatory cytokines which are another kind of cells in our body, start increasing.
Although the increase of these cells leads to damage of tissues to a certain level only, it does enough damage which adds to the lack of T-cells and then makes the body very weak and it is eventually succumbed by the flu and other diseases.
2. Lack of sleep can also reduce the response to the fever
Surely nobody likes to have a fever as it a very miserable and uncomfortable feeling, but what we do not know is that fever is also a trick played by the immune system. The extra heat of the body during a fever kills the germs and viruses infecting the body.
When you have a fever, you must have noticed that while you are asleep, your body temperature is higher. This shows that while your body is in the rest mode, the immunity will be stronger. The body takes the advantage of being in no motion, and the disease-fighting cells will get more charged up to fight the against the infection.
When you are not well, it becomes more important to get a sound sleep. This helps your body to get well faster and become strong to fight against any other infections.
3. Extra sleep will not help your immune system
If you are taking the right amount of rest (nine to ten hours of sleep for kids and teens, and seven to eight hours for the grown-ups), you can expect to have a healthy immune system.
Just like all other good habits, an excess of sleep is also not so good. You also need to have healthy habits along with sound sleep. Like working late night and then sleeping till afternoon can also be bad for you. Best thing is to sleep early, have your meals at routine intervals, and also give some workout to your body.
Sometimes it is even your mattress which you should consider replacing if you are not able to sleep for at least 7 hours in one stretch. An uncomfortable mattress can give you a body ache and a bad posture in the long run. If you need help in finding the right mattress for yourself, do consider having a word with your friends at Beds4U. At Beds4U we can assure you that you will be able to find the right mattress for a comfortable sleep. Stop by today to find the perfect mattress for you!
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
It’s Riddle Time – You Might Need an Extra Cup of Coffee!
Nobody has ever walked this way. Which way is it?
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Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.6% Yes
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14% No
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1.4% Other - I'll share below