Sleep under six hours and you are four times as likely to catch a cold
In a study where volunteers were given a cold virus on purpose, the short sleepers fell ill far more often.
Researchers in the United States did something few of us would sign up for. They tracked the sleep of 164 healthy adults for a week using wrist monitors, then put drops of cold virus in their noses and kept them in a hotel to see who fell ill.
People who had been sleeping less than six hours a night were 4.2 times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept more than seven. Those under five hours were 4.5 times more likely. Sleep predicted who got sick better than age, stress, income or smoking did.
During deep sleep the immune system does much of its maintenance: making the proteins that fight infection and helping the body remember germs it has met before. Cut sleep short night after night and that work falls behind. Studies of vaccines show a similar pattern: people who sleep badly around the time of a vaccine tend to make fewer antibodies.
Getting more of it - Adults need seven to eight hours. Children and teenagers need more. - Wake up at the same time every day, Sundays included. It sets your body clock more than bedtime does. - Put the phone away half an hour before bed, and charge it out of arm's reach. - Keep the room dark and comfortably cool. An AC at 24 to 26 degrees suits sleep better than a very cold room. - No tea or coffee after about 4 in the afternoon. Caffeine stays in the body for longer than most people think. - If you snore loudly, wake up tired, or lie awake most nights, see a doctor. Poor sleep is often very treatable.
Where this comes from - Prather AA et al. Behaviorally Assessed Sleep and Susceptibility to the Common Cold. Sleep, 2015.
Keep reading with a free account.
The full library is for Atulyam members. Sign up in a minute, or log in if you already have an account.
