Get Better Sleep To Improve Your Immune System

According to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control, there are now more than 120,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19. This virus is not a joke, and it’s imperative that you do all you can to keep yourself safe from it.

One of the best ways to up your chances of overcoming the virus is having a strong immune system. To boost your immunity to diseases, you need to practice a number of basic health habits, one of them being consistently getting a good night’s sleep. 

Below, you’ll see a number of ways to improve your sleep, ranging from setting a regular bedtime routine to buying a good quality mattress from mattress stores!

Sleep and Your Immune System

Several studies have established a connection between good quality sleep and a healthy immune system.

Lack of sleep can make you more prone to getting sick after exposure to a virus. With this pandemic, it is important to have a strong immune system. When you don’t have enough sleep, it also slows down your ability to recover from sickness. 

Researchers from Germany found that getting a good sleep can boost immune cells known as T-cells. These cells help fight intracellular pathogens like virus-infected cells such as flu, HIV, herpes, and carcinogenic cells. T cells contribute to the body’s immune response when a potentially harmful foreign body enters the system. 

During sleep is when your T cells replenish themselves. Not only that, but sleep is also when your body releases cytokines, a type of protein that helps your body combat infection. A lack of sleep can decrease T-cells and cytokines, which reduces your chances of effectively fighting off infection. 

Ways To Get Better Sleep

Now that you know the importance of getting a good sleep and its effects on the immune system, how can you clock in the required hours of sleep? Here are three tips that will ensure a good, long, and uninterrupted night’s sleep for you.

Set a Regular Bedtime

First, you need to make sure you sleep every night. As a healthy adult, you should sleep 7 to 8 hours every night to feel well rested and better resist diseases. 

To regulate your body’s internal clock, ensure that you have the same bedtime and waking time every day—even on weekends. A consistent sleep schedule is vital to helping your body fend off infection.

Getting good sleep means your T-cells and cytokines are always at top levels, your stress hormones are down, and you are more mentally resilient to face a world ravaged by a pandemic..

And a Bedtime Routine

A bedtime routine can tell your body that it’s time to slow down and go to sleep. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Something as simple as turning off the lights around the house, brushing your teeth, and washing your face before bed every night works as a routine.

Change Your Sleep Environment 

Look around and see if your bedroom is actually conducive for a good night’s sleep. If you’re having trouble drifting off, consider: is it too hot or too cold in your room? Do you sleep with the television or loud music on? Are your roommates perpetually late sleepers? 

Removing hindrances like noise and light from your bedroom may help create a more peaceful environment suited to good sleep.

Turn Down the Lights

Speaking of light, it’s a good idea to unplug from your devices about half an hour before bed. When your eyes are exposed to light, such as light coming from your television, phone, tablet, or computer, your brain receives signals to wake up rather than to settle down. 

Avoid using your devices immediately before bed to signal your brain that it’s nighttime. Try replacing these devices with a good book and dimmable lights.

Upgrade Your Pillows and Mattress

Another reason why you may be having trouble drifting off is a poor mattress or pillows. Bad bedding may cause back, neck, or hip pain, resulting in trouble finding a relaxed sleeping position or waking constantly through the night.

Make sure that your mattress and pillows are firm and supportive. Most mattresses have a life expectancy of only ten years, so if yours is older than this, it may be time to replace it. 

If you’re looking for a mattress store in Orange County, Slumber n Serenity stocks plenty of name-brand mattresses at discounted prices!

Avoid Naps

Part of having a working sleep schedule means actually feeling tired in the evenings. Napping in the afternoon can mean you’re still feeling energized well into the night. 

If you find yourself drowsy in the middle of the day, consider a short burst of exercise or a cup of coffee to get you through instead.

Stay Rested and Healthy

The US continues to see a spike in the coronavirus cases. It’s a must to follow strict guidelines for keeping ourselves and our families safe, as well as continue basic health practices to fortify our immune system.

Improving our diet, washing our hands, and disinfecting surfaces are all excellent ways to fend off the virus during our waking hours. But we must not discount the value that adequate sleep lends to our immune system and overall health. 

Let us help you strengthen your immune system while you sleep! Call Slumber n Serenity today to view our selection of discount mattresses to help you get a better night’s sleep.