Here at Natural Sleep Mattress of Atlanta, we are big believers in the health benefits of getting a good night’s sleep – and on how important sleeping on the right mattress (might we suggest a quality natural organic mattress from industry leaders like Hastens or Pure Talalay Bliss?) is when it comes to doing just that.
Getting a good night’s sleep can play such an important role in reducing stress and relieving inflammation. It can enhance your memory, your fitness level and empower you to be more productive.
And during these difficult days, we wanted to make sure you knew that proper sleep is also important to your immune system.
Sleep & Your Immune System
When the National Sleep Foundation looked at the relationship between sleep and the immune system, the big concern was flu season. Of course, our concerns are now centered on Covid-19, but the information is the same.
“When it comes to your health, sleep plays an important role,” the Sleep Foundation reports. “While more sleep won’t necessarily prevent you from getting sick, skimping on it could adversely affect your immune system, leaving you susceptible to a bad cold or case of the flu.”
According to the NSF, the science behind these conclusions goes like this: “Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you skimp on shut-eye. Chronic sleep loss even makes the flu vaccine less effective by reducing your body’s ability to respond.”
What’s the bottom line?
“To stay healthy,” the NSF recommends that you, “get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night. This will help keep your immune system in fighting shape, and also protect you from other health issues including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.”
If the strain of the current situation makes getting a good night’s sleep harder, you might want to take a nap. “Taking two naps that are no longer than 30 minutes each —one in the morning and one in the afternoon—has been shown to help decrease stress and offset the negative effects that sleep deprivation has on the immune system,” they say.
All of us here at Natural Sleep, Atlanta’s luxury mattress destination, hope that you are your loved ones are safe and well. If there is anything we can do to help you get a good night’s sleep during this difficult period, please contact us.