Your sleeping habits can directly affect your wellness. 

When it comes to your immune system health, sleep is one of the drivers of your immune cells (1, 2). When sleeping, your body’s melatonin levels rise and growth peptides are released. These put your immune cells to work. Good sleep leads to supported immune cells. 

4 ways to improve your snooze 

  1. Same time, every day
    Don’t give in to the temptation to stay up or sleep in super late. The more consistent you are, the better.
  1. Reduce blue light
    Set a screen time cut-off. Research shows exposure to blue light suppresses the production of melatonin more than any other type of light.
  1. Me time at night time
    Wind down with a hot bath or a good book. Calming your body and mind helps prepare your body.
  1. Sounds about right
    Turn on a nighttime meditation or some white noise via an app on your phone. Your mind will be less likely to wander.

Remember, good sleep leads to supported immune cell health. Wishing you peaceful dreams and healthful days.

Madhavi Gupta, MD

Madhavi Gupta, MD

Madhavi Gupta, MD is the founder and CEO of Best Nest Wellness. Dr. Gupta is a board-certified neurologist and has won The People’s Choice Award as a favorite doctor three years in a row. She holds a degree in biochemistry and humanities from MIT, completed her neurology residency in New York City, and completed her fellowship in headache medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

References

Effects of sleep and circadian rhythm on the human immune system, Volume1193, Issue1, Neuroendocrine Immunology in Rheumatic Diseases: Translation from Basics to Clinics, April 2010, Pages 48-59.

The Sleep-Immune Crosstalk in Health and Disease, Physiological Reviews, Volume 99Issue 3, July 2019, Pages 1325-1380.

Volpe AD, Lucia A, Pirozzi C, Pastore V. Comparative Study between the use of Melatonin and A Solution with Melatonin, Tryptophan, and Vitamin B6 as an Inducer of Spontaneous Sleep in Children During an Auditory Response Test: An Alternative to Commonly Used Sedative Drugs. J Int Adv Otol. 2017;13(1):69-73. doi:10.5152/iao.2017.3054

Liu L, Liu C, Wang Y, Wang P, Li Y, Li B. Herbal Medicine for Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2015;13(4):481-493. doi:10.2174/1570159x1304150831122734

Lieberman HR, Agarwal S, Fulgoni VL 3rd. Tryptophan Intake in the US Adult Population Is Not Related to Liver or Kidney Function but Is Associated with Depression and Sleep Outcomes. J Nutr. 2016;146(12):2609S-2615S. doi:10.3945/jn.115.226969