These signs indicate that lack of sleep is affecting your immunity

Various experts and studies have repeatedly noted that sleep deprivation makes an individual more prone to diseases such as diabetes, heart disorders, hypertension, and eye-related disorders, among others. But, did you know that lack of sleep can directly impact your immune function, making you more prone to fall sick? A study, published in the National Library of Medicine, stated, “Sleep and the circadian system exert a strong regulatory influence on immune functions.”
Explaining this link between sleep and immunity, Dr Pritha Nayyar, Consultant, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Asian Hospital, Faridabad, said, “Our body releases important proteins called cytokines, some of which play a role in promoting sleep. Certain other cytokines increase in number when you are under stress, or suffering from an infection or inflammation. Lack of sleep affects the production of these cytokines in addition to affecting the release of infection-fighting antibodies which results in low immunity.”
Dr Nayyar added that besides making you more prone to illnesses, sleep deprivation also affects how fast you recover from an illness. “Besides, lack of sleep over an extended period of time increases your risk of other diseases including diabetes, obesity, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease,” she told .

Agreeing, Dr Sudharshan KS, Consultant Pulmonolog, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, Bangalore, said that sleep and immunity are directly connected. “When there’s a lack of sleep, the oxidants in our body will increase and the immunity will come down. When we sleep, there will be less sympathetic activity in the body which, in turn, is linked to better heart health. Our immunity also remains in control,” he explained.
Studies in animals have shown that if they are woken up constantly in REM sleep, they succumb to illness, shared Dr Sujit Kumar, Senior Consultant Neurolog and Epileptolog, Apollo Hospitals, Seshadripuram Bangalore, adding that “lack of sleep can reduce your immunity”.
Conversely, those with compromised immune function may experience trouble falling asleep (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
This is because sleep exerts an immune-supportive function, promoting host defence against infection and inflammatory insults, a study, published in Nature, stated. “Sleep deprivation has been associated with alterations of innate and adaptive immune parameters, leading to a chronic inflammatory state and an increased risk for infectious/inflammatory pathologies, including cardiometabolic, neoplastic, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases,” it added.
Signs that sleep deprivation is affecting your immunity
If you wondering whether lack of proper sleep is harming your immune function, look out for these signs, according to Dr Aravinda SN, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Aster RV Hospital:
*Frequent episodes of respiratory infection*Body pain*Increase in sugar/blood glucose levels*Increase in blood pressure

“Increased irritability, high blood pressure, increased daytime sleepiness, frequent infections, cardiac illness are a few of the multitude of problems that occur due to lack of adequate sleep,” Dr Kumar added.
What can you do?
Simply put, sleep adequately! “While more sleep is not always better, adults need seven to eight of good sleep each night for optimal performance. Teenagers must get nine to 10 hours of sleep and school-going children may need 10 or more hours of sleep,” Dr Nayyar said.
Agreeing, Dr Sudarshan said that though there are no fixed hours for each individual, an average of six hours of sleep is good for better health.”
Can comprised immunity affect your sleep?
Conversely, those with compromised immune function may experience trouble falling asleep, experts said. “Compromised immunity will affect sleep as it durbs the sleep pattern. Excessive daytime sleepiness due to early fatigue and decrease night sleep due to persent ailments like body ache, fever, cough etc,” Dr Nayyar explained.
Concurring, Dr Kumar concluded: “Compromised immunity with frequent infections can fragment sleep owing to fever, discomfort and dehydration.”
(Next in the series: Is acupuncture the answer to a good night’s sleep?)
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