How to make your immune system stronger through better sleep

When you are lacking sleep your body and mind seem to be operating slower. You don’t recover quickly from physical exertion, you don’t make the best decisions, and you just don’t feel your best. On top of that, it turns out that sleep deprivation can make you more prone to catching colds, the flu, and other illnesses. Getting more sleep can help boost your immune system.

How the Immune System Functions

Your body has a built-in system designed to combat a lot of the bad things that could damage the normal functioning of the body. This system is responsible for executing three primary jobs.

• - Identify disease-producing germs and pathogens and removing them from the body. These can include parasites, fungi, viruses, and bacteria.
• - Detect and neutralize external harmful substances before they can affect your body.
• - Combat major changes within the body, such as the mutation of cells.

The immune system gets down to work as soon as it detects any toxins or antigens or any other foreign substances in the body. The system consists of several types of proteins and cells responsible for defending the body against constant potential threats. Better sleep may be one way you can make your immune system stronger in the face flu season and whatever else may be going around.

How Sleep Impacts the Immune System

Protective Cytokines

During sleep, your immune system releases proteins called cytokines. These proteins are needed in abundance when the body has an infection, inflammation or is under stress. Sleep deprivation may decrease the production of these protective cytokines, leaving you more vulnerable than if you were well-rested.

Regulating Body Temperature

When you sleep, the body regulates internal temperature to restore balance allowing for the other recovery-oriented benefits of sleep. This helps the body to maintain an optimal temperature level that can decrease the chance of external disease-producing substances adversely affecting the body.

Boosting T Cell Production

T cells are the white blood cells of the body. They play an essential role in the response of the immune system to viruses.T cells exist primarily to attack and destroy virus-borne cells before they invade the body’s immune system. Much of this fighting happens while you are sleeping, and research shows that sleep could be linked to lower T cell production.

Does Sleep Impact Vaccine Effectiveness

Vaccines are kind of like training camp for the immune system. They are meant to prepare the body to fight the disease without exposing it to the symptoms. The body’s response to the vaccine leads the immune system to develop antibodies and cells that help in fighting the invader. Upon the production of such antibodies, the immune system will keep a record of the same and use it again if it runs into the same situation again in the future.

We develop fewer antibodies to vaccines when we are sleep deprived. So if you are immunized and do not get proper sleep, you may have compromised the effectiveness of the vaccine. Sleeping better can not only help you make your immune system stronger, but it can also make your vaccines work more effectively.

*Receptra Naturals does not have a stance on immunization policy

Improving the Response of the Immune System

Sleep helps increase the speed of your immune system’s response and its overall strength. This does not mean that laying in bed all day will keep you healthy. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine is key to optimal health, along with proper hygiene and water intake.

The human body truly needs a full night’s sleep to replenish the proteins and cells it requires to combat diseases like the recent outbreak of Coronavirus. Sleep deprivation hinders cytokine production, making it harder for the body to battle against emerging viruses and the regular flu along with the common cold.

How to Get Better Sleep

We spent about $41 billion per year on sleep remedies in 2015. That number is expected to jump to $52 billion by this year. Not every solution is a good one; sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. Here are some natural sleep remedies that may help you get more sleep and thus boosting your immune system.

• - Create and Stick to a Sleep Routine - Get your internal clock working
• - Turn Off the Electronics - Blue light can interrupt your internal rhythm
• - Start Journaling - Get out all of your tireless thoughts
• - Try CBD for Sleep - Natural way to calm your body and mind
• - Avoid Caffeine - Stick to mornings only
• - Adjust Your Bedroom’s Temperature - Too hot or too cold will keep you up
• - Get Enough Exercise During the Day - Your body will be less restless
• - Consider Changing Your Diet - More fiber / less sugar
• - Listen to Soothing Music - Calm sounds can help calm the mind
• - Consider Aromatherapy - Activate and soothe other senses
• - Sleep in a Dark Room - Help your clock adjust and remove distractions

CBD for Sleep

Receptra Serious Rest CBD tinctures and capsules contain 25 mg of CBD per dose. They are also carefully formulated with added ingredients and botanicals to complement pure hemp extracts. These include MCT oil, linalool, and hints of valerian root. The tincture includes flavors such as vanilla, peppermint and chamomile that support serious sleep, and keep the mind and body at ease, naturally.