Sleep and immune health: why rest matters

There is scientific truth to the idea that ‘a good night’s sleep’ will make you feel better. 

As sleep science has advanced, our understanding of the link between sleep and physical health has deepened significantly. It is now clear that it is when we are asleep that our bodies carry out the most important work: repairing muscles and injuries, expelling waste and, above all, strengthening our immune responses to ensure that we are fighting fit by the time we wake.

Getting enough rest is therefore essential to supporting the important work and delicate balance of our immune system.

How sleep affects the immune system

Good sleep is the foundation of good health. Prolonged sleep deprivation weakens the immune system, impacting the body’s ability to fight off viruses, harmful bacteria, and even nastier invaders, like tumours.

Innate and adaptive immunity

The defences provided by your immune system can be broadly placed into two categories: innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity is the first and broadest line of defence. Your body finds something which doesn’t belong and breaks it down, expelling the waste matter. Adaptive immunity refers to immunities developed over time; those more targeted defences you build up to counter previously invaders, like the chicken pox virus.

Sleep provides invaluable support for both your innate and adaptive immunities. During sleep, when your body is in ‘low power’ mode, your immune system can focus almost solely on increasing the production of certain proteins, cells, and molecules. 

Cytokines

One of the proteins produced is cytokines, which act as messengers for the immune system, telling white blood cells when a pathogen has been found which needs to be destroyed. This can cause an inflammatory response, which helps with recovery from injury and the fighting of infection.

Immune memory

Also, just as sleep is known to improve memory and brain function, it also helps maintain ‘immune memory’, allowing the immune system to remember how to recognise and react to particular threats.

Our immune system is delicately balanced, and self-regulating. As you begin to wake, the inflammation process that comes from the production of beneficial cells and proteins settles, showing that high-quality sleep is vital for a well-functioning immune system.

How the immune system affects sleep

The immune system can impact sleep in numerous ways, most notably when your body is dealing with an infection or virus.

Fatigue

One of the most common symptoms of many illnesses is tiredness. When battling infection, you will likely spend more time in deep sleep, where your bodily functions and metabolism are at their lowest, allowing your immune system to spend as much energy as possible battling the foreign threats undermining your health.

Fever

Fever is a common immune response to infection, as an overheated body is a hostile environment to invading pathogens. Deep sleep frees your immune system up to mount a high fever response, expending energy in the production of more infection-fighting proteins, cells, and molecules. You will respond to this increase in temperature by shivering, which is not possible outside of deep sleep.

How can you improve sleep for an improved immune system?

There are many steps you can take to improve the quality of your sleep.

Maintaining a consistent sleep routine is the most effective way to improve sleep quality. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, don’t eat too close to bedtime, and try to avoid screens, caffeine, and strenuous exercise in the hours before sleep. Also, try to make your bedroom as cool and dark as possible.

If you suffer from a more serious sleep disorder, such as insomnia or sleep apnoea, ask your doctor to refer you to a sleep specialist. Sleep health is essential for overall health.

Looking to improve your sleep quality? Start by getting the sleep surface right. Explore the Mammoth Perks range today here.