Managing sleep and stress for a healthier immune system!

Have you ever wondered why after a stressful or sleepless period you’ve ended up feeling under the weather? While it may seem like a coincidence, there is an actual scientific rationale to explain this, and it revolves around the tight-knit relationship between stress, sleep and the immune system. Read on to find out more!

The Two Major Culprits of Poor immune Health

Persistent stress

Can you recall a time when you’ve been working tirelessly to meet all your work deadlines before heading on annual leave, only to find yourself bed-ridden with the sniffles for most of your break? Let’s dive into the reasons why.

When the body is stressed, the adrenal glands ramp up the release of stress hormones, cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones result in the diversion of blood to tissues like the brain and muscles to maximise alertness and our ability to ‘fight or flee’ a threat.

At the expense of these heightened senses, the body deprioritises digestion and the immune system. Once the stressful event passes, the body rebalances itself, however, if it persists, our immune defences are lowered, making us more vulnerable to illness.

Poor sleep

Sleep is instrumental in recharging the body, replenishing body cells and removing waste. Therefore, it’s not surprisingly that sleep deprivation can:

• Cause immune system dysregulation which can increase the body’s susceptibility to sickness. Studies have shown that those who chronically get less than 7 hours of sleep a night are three times as likely to suffer from the ills and chills. It is in comparison to those who routinely get eight hours or more of sleep.
• Delay recovery time after a period of sickness Often stress and sleeplessness co-manifest in a perpetual cycle, so addressing these in tandem can offer the best outcomes for your immune system as well as your general health and wellbeing.

Alleviate your Stress and Support your Sleep

1. Engaging in deep breathing exercises – as research shows that it can effectively reduce cortisol levels by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for inducing a state of calm and relaxation[2].
2. Cutting down on digital time – which may seem like a tough feat considering how deeply technology is entrenched in our day-to-day lives. However excess blue-light from technological devices can reduce sleep quality and duration. Try keeping your phone or laptop out of sight, and instead, grab yourself a book or crossword puzzle to allow yourself to drift off easily.
3. Upping your magnesium intake – as it’s an incredibly important mineral for supporting nervous system health and a healthy stress response. Sprinkle every meal with magnesium-rich foods such as spinach, almonds, wholegrains and beans or consider supplementation if larger doses are required.

4. Getting your sweat on – as exercise has a stack of research supporting its stress-relieving and immune-boosting benefits. Exercise can help trigger the release of feel-good hormones such as serotonin and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). It will help dampen the symptoms of stress and anxiety. In the context of our immunity, exercise has been shown to increase immune surveillance, allowing the body to elicit a faster and more effective immune response[1].
5. Trying Holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) – one of many herbs used in Ayurverdic medicine, revered for its therapeutic benefits for the mind, body and spirit. In modern times, cutting-edge science has been able to harness the medicinal properties of Holy basil and create unique extracts. The newest to the market is Holixer™, which has been clinically studied to relieve the symptoms of stress and enhance sleep quality[2].

Reference

[1]Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Alper, C. M., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Turner, R. B. (2009). Sleep habits and susceptibility to the common […]. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169(1), 62-67.

[2] Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., … & Li, Y. F. (2017). The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 874.