Challenge 18 - Boost Immunity
“Sleep is perhaps the greatest legal performance-enhancing 'drug' that few people are taking advantage of”
– Matthew Walker
We all know that recovery during sleep is fundamental to wellness and performance. So why is it that rest is declining globally at the same time we need more of it, especially given its immune system benefits?
World Health Organisation and National sleep Foundation’s guidance of 8 hours per night is not universally adopted. Countries like Finland, the Netherlands, Australia, the UK, and Belgium all rank highly for sleep but not all developed economies rest well; South Korea and Japan are the world’s worst countries for getting a good night’s sleep. The issue has caught World Health Organisation's attention and has declared a sleep-loss epidemic through industrialised nations.
Researchers suggest that sleeping routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night impacts your physical and mental health, with sleep a likely lifestyle factor associated with cancer, coronary artery disease, diabetes & mental ill-health, but given the current circumstances, the most crucial element related to sleep loss is the impact on the immunity system. A 2002 experiment compared the immune response of two groups to the flu vaccine. The control group was allowed seven and a half to eight and a half hours sleep while sleep-restricted group allowed only four hours for the 6-day experiment. Even with this temporary restriction for just one week, the sleep-restricted group produces less than 50% of the immune reaction to the flu shot. Even after twelve months they never developed a full reaction to the vaccine. Similar consequences hepatitis A and B vaccines, could this also hold for COVID-19 vaccinations?
Not all sleep problems can be solved just by simply getting more sleep, as 10-20% of the population have sleep diseases requiring medical interventions. However, many others can benefit from investing in sleep hygiene and applying the tips for getting a good night sleep which includes:
· Maintaining a sleep schedule – our body likes regularity
· Regular daily exercise – ideal in the mornings to optimize cardiovascular health.
· Exposure to daylight to reset our circadian rhythm
· Limiting caffeine after midday – caffeine has a half-life of 6 hours.
· Limiting alcohol intake before bed – alcohol is a sedative but doesn’t mimic a natural sleep cycle
· Understanding the power of napping to be employed if main sleep is not sufficient
· Create sleep environment that promotes sleep – think quiet, cold & dark!
My personal favourite for adequate recovery is my regular sleep schedule. Maintaining an early to bed philosophy (by 9.30 PM) allows me get up for a swim at 6.00 AM swim each day.
So what might you try to improve your sleep and learning today? tell us here
Reference
1. Dr. Thomas Roth, of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit
2. Dramatic deficits in their ability to learn new information www.ncbi.nih.gov.
4. Effect of sleep deprivation on response to immunization. K.Spiegel. 2002
Further reading
Read: why are we so sleep deprived and why does it matter theconversation.com
Watch: Sleep is your superpower. Matthew Walker. TED
** Disclaimer – Part of the Fresh Start Effect / Build Your Ideal Day Program by Duncan Young. All content and media on the Build Your Ideal Day Website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.
