How Does Sleep Boost Your Immune System?
While there are a number of reasons why you need adequate sleep, boosting your immune system is one of them.
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While getting additional sleep may not prevent you from getting sick, skipping out on sleep could adversely affect your immune system, leaving you susceptible to a number of infections or viruses. In fact, it is thought that short sleep duration increases your risk for a number of diseases, possibly from compromised immune function.[2]
So how does sleep boost your immune system, exactly?
T-Cells
It has to do with the cells within the immune system known as T cells.
When an infected cell is detected, other cells activate what’s called integrins (a sticky type of protein). This allows them to attach and kill the infected cells.
One study examined two groups of healthy subjects. One group slept well and the other group stayed awake all night. They found that the sleeping group showed higher levels of integrin activation compared to the T cells of those who were awake.[1]
Cytokines
Cytokines are important proteins that target infection and inflammation (key for a properly functioning immune system). Cytokines are produced and released during sleep. That means less sleep = fewer cytokines. Yikes.
There are several different types of cytokines.They serve several functions in the body:
Stimulate the production of blood cells
Growth factors
Immunoregulatory and proinflammatory responses
There are also several different types of cytokines including:
Lymphokines (made by lymphocytes)
Monokines (made by monocytes)
Chemokines (associated with chemotactic actions)
Interleukins (made by one leukocyte but act on other leukocytes
How Do Cytokines Work?
Cytokines are released by cells into either blood circulation or tissue. From there, they locate immune cells and interact with receptors on these cells by binding to them. This interaction is what stimulates a response by the target cells.
Bottom Line
When you neglect your sleep, your immune system will suffer as well. Research examining the vulnerability of sleep-drived individuals showed that those who slept less than 6 hours a night were more than 4 times as likely to get sick compared to individuals who got 7 hours or more of sleep.[3]
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