SIR: Sleep deprivation takes a toll on your mind, body and overall health in ways that may surprise you.
Research shows that chronic lack of sleep is linked to cold and flu, diabetes, heart disease, mental health and even obesity. So it is natural to ask: does getting adequate sleep protect you from illness? The answer is yes, it protects.
Sleep is a quiescent period were the cells are doing a lot of repairing, your hormones act differently when you are asleep, and your immune system as well, “if your immune system is out of work, you cannot fight off illness and I would venture to say that you cannot repair your cell very well either”.
Here are some health problems that research shows are worsened by lack of sleep and may be improved by getting at least seven hours of sleep at night.
When you are sleep deprived, you often feel “worn down” and that is clue that your body is vulnerable to infection. Not getting enough sleep makes you more vulnerable to picking up illness and not being able to fight them off. The less sleep you get, the weaker your immune system is, leaving it less able to fight off colds, flu and other infections.
Studies have even found that being sleep-deprived can affect our response to vaccines. Since your immune response is suppressed, the body is slower in response to the vaccine to build up sufficient anti-bodies.
• Mohammed Abdulwali Abba
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|