These days it’s really important that we do everything we can to keep our bodies as healthy as possible. That includes the whole gamut: improving our hygiene, staying active, hydrating, and eating well. But one thing that often gets forgotten about is the importance of a good night’s sleep. As we rethink what we do in the world, it’s the perfect time to think about your sleeping pattern.

Experts say that getting enough good, quality sleep can be really important in keeping you healthy. Most of us know that we should be aiming for seven hours of sleep every night, and that consistency is key. That can be hard to achieve when you have a new social life and unpredictable working hours, but now that people are hunkering down and canceling plans, it should get a bit easier to experiment with sticking to a routine.

Studies have shown that being sleep deprived is akin to overdrinking when it comes to its effects on the brain. Recent research also suggests that poor sleep increases pain sensitivity and may raise the likelihood of developing cardiovascular problems.

What’s relatively new is that a study recently conducted by a team from the University of Tübingen in Germany has found a mechanism linking sleep to the functioning of the immune system. The researchers who led this study found that a good night’s sleep can boost the effectiveness of certain specialized immune cells.

Sleep supports the proteins and cells of your immune system to detect and destroy bugs and germs—and it also helps them to remember them, so they can fight them off even quicker in future. Sleeps strengthen your body’s immune response, and at times like these it’s more important than ever that we’re getting enough of it.

Good sleep can be managed with thoughtful care—just what you can expect from central Ohio’s leading TMJ expert. You take care of you, and we’ll be here to help. Sleep well from all of us at Dr. Bez’s office.