Tired of falling sick every now and then. Waking up in the morning feeling tired and sluggish. Chances are your immune system is not working properly. Here are some tips that can boost your immune system and give it a jump start.
PROPER REST
Proper rest is required by our body’s defense mechanism to function at its best. When we sleep, our bodies go in a repair mode and synthesize proteins necessary for our body’s immune cells. Sleep deprivation weakens our immune system and makes us vulnerable for falling sick.
SLEEP HOURS
The national foundation for sleep suggests a minimum of 7 to 9 hours for adults to acquire a normal sleep cycle. Not only the does the sleep duration matter but also the duration of the day.
Human sleep is regulated in exposure to day and light. Melatonin is sleep hormone secreted by pineal gland below hypothalamus. During the day, pineal is inactive. During the darkness, pineal gets turned on and starts producing melatonin. This usually occurs at 9 pm and you start to feel less alert and sleep becomes more attracting. Melatonin levels stay elevated upto 9am in the morning and these are the hours you need to sleep in order to be fullfilled by your sleep.
ADD FRUITS IN YOUR DIET
Fruits are a blessing from the heaven. We all know fruits and vegetables essential for body as they provide proper nutrients and antioxidant for staying healthy. Eating vegetables is hard. On the contrary, fruits are yummy and everyone likes them. Adding a serving of fruits to your meals can a delicious and a tempting way to kick start your immune system.
HYDRATION
Drinking plenty of water makes it easier for the body to flushtoxins. Moreover, cells get adequate oxygen for repair and proper funtioning of the defense system.
EXERCISE
Last but not least EXERCISE!
Exercise is another way our lungs can get rid of bacteria that cause cold, flu or various illnesses. Excercise also reduces the release of stress hormones which make our immune system weaker. Stress induces the production of free fatty acids making weightloss even harder
The brief rise in body temperature before and after exercise might prevent bacteria from growing.
Exercise causes antibodies and WBC’s to circulate more rapidly, which might prevent the cause of a future infection.
AVOID STRESS
Stress makes our ability to fight infections weaker. Whenever we’re stressed, the immune system’s abitlity to ward off antigens becomes suppressed making us more susceptible to imfections.
Avoiding stress can be another to encourage our immune system.