Whenever I’ve had a cold or the flu, I always become irresistibly drowsy and enter a state of hibernation. I thought it was because my body needed every smidgen of energy to fight the foreign invaders, so I cooperated fully and went to bed. Now I find out that’s really only part of
the story.
PROTEINS AND ENZYMES
In my own generalizing way, it turns out I was right. Scientists say the drowsiness is related to functions of the immune system. While you’re dozing, your pituitary gland is boosting production of white blood cells to fight off invading microorganisms. During sleep the body manufactures increased numbers of helper T cells and killer T cells, which trigger an army of antibodies and enzymes that search out and destroy the invaders. Viruses and bacteria themselves are part of the process that makes you drowsy. Proteins in their cell walls can promote sleep, as can immune proteins produced by the body, such as the cytokines interleukin-2 and interferon-a.
So give your body the help it needs: set aside all the work that “just can’t wait,” all the meetings that you just “can’t miss,” and go to bed. If you do, you’ll most likely recover somewhat sooner, and besides that you’re keeping your bugs to yourself and not spreading them around the workplace.
MORE NOTES ON SLEEP
NAPPING SEEMS TO HELP LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
Advice from Massachusetts General Hospital’s publication Mind, Mood & Memory, Volume 4, Number 1, January 2008 says, “Next time you feel your blood pressure rising, take a nap.” Hmmm, my experience has been that if I’m in a situation that’s causing my blood pressure to rise, it’s not a situation conducive to sleep. But never mind, the advice is probably tongue-in-cheek, well intended and is based on a recent study published in the October 2007 issue of The Journal of Applied Physiology suggesting that a daytime log-sawing session can bring about a large decline in blood pressure. Investigators measured blood pressure, heart
rate and blood vessel dilation in nine healthy subjects as they stood quietly, as they lie awake on a bed and as they napped. While they found no changes in cardiovascular function when subjects stood or reclined quietly, they observed significant reductions in heart rate and blood pressure, along with a nine percent increase in blood vessel dilation, just before subjects settled into sleep. The study was very small and my question is how long is the improved cardiovascular state maintained? Only during the nap session? Nevertheless, an afternoon power nap is a good policy in any event.
INSOMNIA? HERE IS ONE POSSIBLE REASON
If you’re having trouble sleeping, it might be your cholesterol medication. At The American Heart Association’s annual meeting held in November 2007, researchers reported on a study in which 1,106 adult men and women were randomly assigned to receive the water-soluble pravastatin (Pravachol), the fat-soluble simvastatin (Zocor) or a placebo. Fat-soluble statins can cross into the brain, which controls sleep. After six months, significantly more patients in the simvastatin (fat-soluble) group reported a worsening in sleep quality than patients in the two other groups.
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Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.
nighttime falls, feel depressed, have attention and memory problems, and to use more over-the-counter or prescription drugs. No matter what age we are, our sleep needs remain fairly constant throughout life. But while sleep patterns do change as people age, disturbed sleep and waking up tired every day are not a normal part of aging. Many people don’t get enough sleep, which can increase the risk of serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.
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