Ashwin Lewis
Feeling sleepy when you're sick is perfectly normal, and it's your body's way of telling you to slow down and rest. Sleep is essential for recovery as it supports the immune system and helps fight off illness. When you're asleep, your body releases proteins called cytokines, which help to communicate with cells in the immune system to knock out pathogens. Sleep is like medicine for the immune system, and it's recommended that sick people get more than nine hours of sleep a night.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is it ok to sleep all day when sick? | Yes, it is normal to feel tired and lethargic when you're sick. Sleeping is essential for recovery. |
| Why do you feel sleepy when you're sick? | Sleep gives your body time to repair itself and fight off illness. Fighting an illness takes a lot of energy, which can make you feel tired. |
| Benefits of sleeping when sick | Sleep helps support the immune system and fight off illness. It can also prevent you from going out and infecting others. |
| How much sleep is too much? | As long as you wake up to drink water and eat nourishing food, it's ok to sleep all day when you're sick. Consult a doctor if your illness doesn't improve or if you still feel exhausted after recovery. |
| Tips for sleeping when sick | Prop your head up, use a humidifier, drink chamomile tea, respond quickly to what woke you up, ensure your room is cool, dark and quiet, and take naps during the day. |
What You'll Learn
Sleep helps your body repair itself
Secondly, sleep is closely connected to the immune system. During sleep, your body releases proteins called cytokines, which communicate with cells in the immune system to help fight off infections. Cytokines also promote sleep, so giving in to feelings of fatigue helps your body make more cytokines and fast-track your recovery.
Additionally, sleep impacts the cells your body uses to fight off viruses. Research suggests that sleep helps T cells (a type of white blood cell) stick to infected cells and destroy them. Sleep also induces hormonal changes that help send T cells to the lymph nodes and stimulate an immune response against pathogens.
Sleep is also important for the functioning of natural killer cells, another type of immune cell that can attack tumour cells and cells invaded by viruses. Sleep loss has been shown to cause natural killer cell activity to decrease significantly, which could mean feeling sicker for longer and increasing your risk of autoimmune issues.
Finally, sleep is important for responding to cellular stress, repairing damaged tissues, and regulating immune cell proliferation and trafficking. So, if you're feeling unwell, listen to your body and get some rest!
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Sleep boosts your immune system
Secondly, your body has a better fever response when you're sleeping. Fighting an illness is extremely demanding on the body, and sleep allows your body to channel all its resources toward breaking a fever, fighting pathogens, and recovering from a virus.
Thirdly, your immune system needs energy to function. When you're awake, your body needs to direct energy to activities like thinking or moving around. When you sleep, your body can redirect that energy to your immune system so you can get better faster.
Finally, being tired makes it less likely that you'll go out and infect others. A lack of energy can also help keep you safe, as your immune system is better able to focus on fighting the infection you have, rather than new potential illnesses.
Research has also shown that a lack of sleep can decrease immunity and make you more susceptible to additional illnesses, so it's important to get plenty of rest when you're sick.
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Sleep is like medicine for your immune system
When you're asleep, your body releases proteins called cytokines, which communicate with cells in the immune system to help fight off a pathogen. Cytokines also help promote sleep, so giving in to feelings of fatigue helps the body make more cytokines and fast-track your recovery.
The body's immune system functions more efficiently when you're sleeping. Sleep gives your body time to repair itself, which is essential when you're sick. Fighting an illness takes a lot of energy, which can leave you feeling tired and lethargic. Sleep also helps the body break a fever, as well as fight pathogens and recover from a virus.
Research shows that even modest amounts of sleep loss can cause natural killer cell activity to drop significantly. This could mean feeling sicker for longer, and increasing your risk factors for autoimmune issues.
So, if you're feeling unwell, don't feel guilty about getting some extra shut-eye. It's one of the best things you can do to help your body heal.
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Sleep helps your body fight pathogens
Sleep is like medicine for the immune system. When you're sick, your body needs to channel all its resources toward breaking a fever, fighting pathogens, and recovering from a virus.
When you're asleep, your body releases proteins called cytokines, which communicate with cells in the immune system to help knock out a pathogen. Some cytokines even help promote sleep. Giving in to feelings of fatigue helps the body make more cytokines and fast-track your recovery.
A 2019 study found that sleep helps T cells (a type of white blood cell) more easily stick to infected cells and destroy them. Slow-wave sleep and the circadian rhythm induce hormonal changes that help send T cells to the lymph nodes and stimulate an immune response against a pathogen.
Additionally, research shows that even modest amounts of sleep loss can cause natural killer cell activity to drop significantly, which could mean feeling sicker for longer and increasing your risk factors for autoimmune issues.
So, if you're feeling under the weather, don't feel guilty about sleeping all day. It's your body's way of telling you it needs rest to fight off those pathogens and get you back to good health.
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Sleep helps regulate immune cell proliferation
Cytokines are a type of protein that targets infections and promotes sleep. During sleep, the body releases cytokines, which in turn communicate with cells in the immune system to help fight off pathogens. Some cytokines also promote sleep, creating a positive feedback loop that ultimately aids in recovery.
T cells, or T lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell that plays a critical role in the body's immune response to infectious diseases. Sleep facilitates the movement of T cells to lymph nodes, where they can initiate an adaptive immune response. This process is particularly important in the early stages of sleep, during slow-wave sleep, when the body experiences a pro-inflammatory endocrine milieu with high levels of growth hormones and prolactin and low levels of cortisol and catecholamines.
Additionally, sleep helps regulate immune cell proliferation by providing the body with the energy it needs to fight off infections. When awake, the body directs energy towards activities such as thinking and moving around. During sleep, the body can redirect this energy to the immune system, allowing it to fight off illnesses more effectively.
Overall, sleep plays a crucial role in regulating immune cell proliferation by creating an environment that supports the production of cytokines and T cells and by providing the body with the energy it needs to mount an effective immune response.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, it's normal to feel tired and lethargic when you're sick. This is your body's way of telling you to slow down and rest so you can get healthy.
Sleep gives your body time to repair itself, which you need when you’re sick. Sleep also boosts your immune system. For example, cytokines, which are proteins that target infections, are produced and released during sleep.
There's no set amount, but generally, the more sleep you can get when you’re sick, the better. Aim for more than nine hours. However, as long as you’re waking up to drink water and eat nourishing food, it’s okay to let your body get all the rest it needs.
If you’re still exhausted and sleeping a lot more than usual after recovering, it’s a good idea to see your doctor to determine the cause.
Here are some tips to help you get better sleep when you're sick:
- Sleep with your head propped up to help with nasal drainage and reduce pressure in your head.
- Avoid cold medications that may keep you awake and opt for those formulated for nighttime use.
- Take a hot shower or bath before bed to relax and break up mucus.
- Use a humidifier to prevent stuffy, congested airways.
- Drink chamomile tea with lemon or honey to soothe your throat.
- Respond quickly to anything that wakes you up in the middle of the night so you can go back to sleep more easily.
- Ensure your room is cool, dark, and quiet.
- If you can’t sleep at night, try taking short naps during the day.
