Leigh Erin Connealy, MD's
Personal Message
There are countless ways to
support a strong immune system, but one of the most impactful (yet often
overlooked) is a good night's sleep. Today, I wanted to share specifically just
how sleep can benefit your immune system as well as some tips on how to
consistently sleep better. Below are a few stats on the relationship between
sleep and the immune system:
·
Researchers have found
that sleeping 6 hours or less makes you 4x more likely to catch a cold compared
to those who sleep 7+ hours a night. Along with this, every hour of sleep lost
continues to raise the risk of contracting an illness.
·
Although the immune
system is working around the clock, sleep presents an opportunity for the
immune system to work without the interruptions of eating, moving, or critical
thinking tasks. Getting enough quality and quantity of sleep allows the immune
system to fight at full force for as long as possible.
·
Boosts the
effectiveness of T-cells - These are the fighter cells who respond to
pathogens, T-cells utilize sticky proteins called integrins to attach to
pathogenic cells and destroy them. Studies have found that individuals who
sleep more have higher levels of integrin activation compared to individuals
who sleep less or who sleep poorly.
·
Cytokines are another
type of protein that act as messengers for the immune system, alerting the
forces that pathogens are present and calling the troops to action. These
proteins are critical to a swift and effective immune response. The catch? They
are only produced and released during sleep.
Now we’ve arrived at
the million-dollar question - How do I get better sleep?
Well, I’m so glad you asked
because I have several impactful tips that will dramatically transform your
sleep when applied consistently.
1. Stop eating 3 hours before sleep - The stomach
takes roughly 3 hours to empty itself after a meal and guess what? Digestion
requires a lot of energy consumption. Eating right before bed can cause
indigestion, GERD, acid reflux, and more. These gastrointestinal symptoms can,
in turn, disrupt a deep sleep pattern.
2. After sunset, reduce or eliminate all blue
light exposure - I know this sounds tough, but our brains are wired to produce
certain hormones at certain times of the day depending on the light outside.
When the sun sets, but we are still staring and cell phone screens, tv screens,
and bright LED lights in the house, we are sending our body signals that it is
still daytime. As a result, our body does not trigger the production of
“sleepy” hormones like melatonin.
3. Keep sleep and wake times the same - Yes, even
on weekends. The more regular your sleep pattern, the more your body will
naturally create the right hormones at the right time to sleep deeply and awake
refreshed.
4. Consider taking a sleep supplement that
includes natural ingredients like Valerian Root, Melatonin, and L-Theanine.
Patients absolutely love our 4 Sleep Supplement which includes a
gentle and natural blend of Magnolia Bark Extract, Passionflower Aerial Powder,
Hops Extract, Lemon Balm Extract, Valerian Extract, L-Theanine, Lavender
Extract, and Melatonin.
Creating better habits to
improve sleep quality is one of the single most impactful changes any
individual can make for their health. Far too many of us take these precious
hours of healing for granted.
I hope today’s letter has
inspired and enabled you to create some tangible shifts in your habits. If so,
I am eager to hear about them! Feel free to reach out and share any adjustments
you are making and their impacts through my social media! You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn!
Your Partner in Health,
Dr. Connealy
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