A restorative night’s sleep is a great way to keep nasty germs at bay. Your immune system relies on you getting around 7 hours’ sleep a night on a consistent basis to operate effectively.

A busy schedule of work, kids, plus more work, with a mix of daily stressors from the media, can sabotage your sleep and your well-being all at the same time. Mom is right – you need your beauty sleep, but your body can benefit from quality sleep in other ways too. That’s because sleep gives your body the time it needs to rest and recover.

Ever wonder why you’re tired when you’re sick? It’s no coincidence – you body craves that rest to heal itself. Now, we’re going to have a short science lesson to explain why sleep is important to maintain immunity from pathogens, like viruses.

Time for Immunology 101

The T cells in your body detect and combat infected cells, destroying them. What’s key is a sticky protein called integrin, which helps the T cell stick to the viral invader, killing it.

Numerous studies indicate that those of us who have a consistent sleep pattern have higher levels of this protein activated within our cells.

If the functioning of your T cells is not up to par, your body will have a harder time warding off disease. Better yet, your body remembers these invading pathogens, fighting them off in the future if you’re exposed to them a second time.

Sleep: The Foundation of Health

If you consistently have less than 5 hours’ sleep each night, you’re setting yourself up for a host of chronic conditions, like diabetes, heart disease and obesity. The good part is that you can make healthy choices to help your body get the restorative rest that it needs.

Try keeping stress in check by limiting time on social media or watching the news. Alternately, make the most of your time by catching up on reading; playing games with your kids; or finally get around to those tasks that are perpetually on your procrastination list, like bathing the dog.

A positive mindset during the day will make it easier for you to sleep at night.

The post Sleep Gives Your Body the Boost it Needs to Stay Healthy appeared first on Quick Med Care.

Flu season starts in October and runs through to the end of March; however, you can still catch the flu in the off-months. Because of this, it’s a good idea to take year-round measures to ensure optimal healthfulness, like thorough hand washing; proper sleep; nutritious meals; and a consistent exercise regimen.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months get a flu shot. It takes about two weeks for your body to develop an immune response to the vaccine, making October is the best time to get vaccinated. Even if you’re not vaccinated prior to peak flu season, it’s still important to get a shot; particularly if you’re surrounded by sick individuals.

There’s a misconception that a flu shot can make you sick. Flu shots are comprised of an inactive virus, meaning that the virus present in the flu shot cannot infect you. However, it does take 2 weeks for the flu shot to offer protection, so it’s possible to contract the flu within this span of time. Moreover, it’s possible to catch a strain of the flu virus that’s not covered by the shot. The shot is a great defense against catching the flu, but it’s not perfect.

Side effects from getting a flu shot are minimal, and include headaches, nausea, fever, and soreness at the injection site. If you have an allergic reaction, your symptoms include hoarseness, difficulty breathing and swelling of the lips and eyes. In this type of situation, you should seek urgent care immediately.

There are tried-and-true steps you can take to remain healthy during flu season. Of course, getting a flu shot should be your go-to defense against developing the flu, but a comprehensive approach is best:

• Choose a flu shot option that fits your situation, like a “typical” flu vaccine; Flu Mist, which is a nasal spray; an egg-free flu vaccine if you have an egg allergy; or Fluzone, which is a high-dose version for individuals who are 65 years old or older.

• Wash your hands often throughout the day with warm soapy water.Refrain from touching your eyes, mouth or nose without first washing your hands.

• Do not share cups or utensils.

• Make healthy Lifestyle Choices by eating a balanced diet, getting quality sleep, and exercising regularly.

Stay healthy this flu season and be proactive in your approach to staving off the influenza virus, not only during its most active months, but year-round. Click here to find your closest Quick Care Med location.

The post How to Decrease your Chances of Getting the Flu appeared first on Quick Med Care.