Have you been sick more than usual? Don't blame it on the weather. Ask yourself, have I been getting my required 8 hours of shut eye? If not, your immune system may be suffering from the effects of sleep deprivation.
This news comes complimentary a brand new study from the University of Washington Health Sciences and UW Medicine. Published in the Oxford Academic journal Sleep, the study found sleep deprivation over a period of 2 weeks negatively effects the metabolic, cardiovascular and inflammatory systems. In other words, you're more likely to become sick.
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Science Daily reports in an article about the study, that when you sleep in short doses over a period of several nights, the immune system slows the circulation of white blood cells. This is damaging to your overall health.
To boost your immune system and get better sleep, try these home remedies:
1. Exercise outdoors. You may already know that a vitamin D deficiency can make you more susceptible to illness, but you may be surprised to learn that, according to The Sleep Doctor, vitamin D plays an important role in the length and quality of your sleep. Follow the advice of Core-Hydration, and take a 20-minute jog several days a week to be your healthiest, most well rested you.
2. Drink water. Water provides oxygen to the blood, while also flushing out toxins, making it essential to a healthy immune system. During cold and flu season, Core-Hydration emphasizes the importance of drinking a minimum of 64 ounces of water daily. Another motivation for drinking more water is better sleep, as Go Natural and Organic says dehydration is a common cause of restless nights.
3. Drink cranberry juice. You may have heard tart cherry juice touted as a miracle cure for poor sleep. There's some truth to the claim. According to a study reported by Psychology Today, the melatonin in tart cherry juice adds an average of 17 extra minutes to sleep. This sounds nominal, but is in fact consequential. As an added bonus, tart cherry juice contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that are so powerful, they have been suggested as replacements for ibuprofen and other pain relievers, reports Runners Connect. Antioxidants are also important for a strong immune system, proper heart and brain function, and protection against cancer.
4. Eat an apple a day. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The age-old axiom is true. Providence Health Plan recommends an apple a day as part of your daily serving of five fruits and vegetables. One large apple is considered two servings, and the soluble fiber in apples make the fruit especially useful in boosting immune function and recovering from infection. Further, a 2016 study by researchers at Columbia University and St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital in New York found a diet low in fiber and high in saturated fat and sugar results in lighter, less restorative sleep. Apply the information from this study and be sure to eat fiber-rich foods, like apples, oatmeal and beans, for longer, more restorative sleep.
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