During sickness, cells are under stress, and organisms experience sleepiness to promote sleep and recover from the cellular stress.
Extra rest can help with recovery from illness, whether you have a cold, the flu, or another virus. Here's how sleep helps your immune system bounce back when you're sick. No matter the specific virus, nearly every sickness has one recommended treatment in common: lots of rest.
When you've come down with a cold or a flu, sleep is essential for boosting your immune system and helping you recover as quickly as possible. Getting a proper night's rest, which is about seven to nine hours for most adults, helps your body go deeper into repair mode.
You really do need extra sleep when you're not feeling well because of a cold or the flu, Taneja-Uppal says. That's especially true if you're running a low-grade fever, which can happen with colds, or the higher fever that accompanies the flu. Sleep helps your body fight the infection that's causing you to feel ill.
The key to recovering from the flu as fast as possible is to get plenty of rest. By resting during the day, your body will be able to devote more resources to fighting the virus. Sleep is also important. Sleep gives your body the opportunity to focus on strengthening your immune system.
First of all, more sleep does help you fight infections more effectively. People who get enough sleep (typically between seven and eight and a half hours each night) are much less likely to develop an illness from a virus.
As a general guide, mild to moderate physical activity is usually fine if you have a common cold. Symptoms of a common cold include a runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing or minor sore throat. If you have a cold, you should consider reducing the intensity or length of your exercise.
Doctor's Response. Cold symptoms will go away on their own over time and rest is one of the best ways to help your body heal, so in a sense, you can sleep off a cold. Sleep helps boost the immune system and can help you recover from a cold more quickly.
Fever is part of the immune system's attempt to beat the bugs. It raises body temperature, which increases metabolism and results in more calories burned; for each degree of temperature rise, the energy demand increases further. So taking in calories becomes important.
With a cold – You may be tired and weak, but this feeling is typically mild and never turns into extreme exhaustion. With the flu – It's extremely common to feel tired and weak for two weeks or longer.
Taking a hot shower or a bath can really help to quell your various pains. The warmth from the bath can help soothe your lungs, and the steam will moisturize your throat and nasal passages that have been dried out from your sickness.
Eating fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C is a smart move. Vitamin C boosts your immune system, which is how your body naturally fights off infection. If you're feeling nauseous, following the BRAT diet – bananas, rice, apples and toast – may be your preference.
Sitting or lying down for too long increases your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Too much sitting can also be bad for your mental health. Being active is not as hard as you think. There are lots of simple ways to include some physical activity in your day.
Sick children get very tired and need plenty of rest. Encourage your child to doze off when they need to, perhaps with a story read by you or on a mobile device or CD. Never fall asleep with a sick baby on the sofa with you, even if you're both exhausted.
Bundling up too much can make it harder to reduce a fever. If you have chills, try wearing a single, light layer and using one lightweight blanket. If your temperature's over 103ºF, let your doctor know. You may have the flu or another infection, so get checked out to be sure.
And here's a more important solution: It's always important to eat well — especially when you're sick. Not eating when you're sick can inhibit your body's ability to heal itself. While you might crave junk foods while you're sick, they won't help your body heal either.
Some types of fasting could benefit a person with a bacterial infection. In particular, intermittent fasting may benefit health and be a more convenient form of fasting. However, this may not be the case with a viral infection. This would rule out fasting as a way to help recover from the common cold or the flu.
FOOD TO AVOID
All raw & strongly flavoured vegetables like cabbage, capsicum, turnip, raddish, onion, garlic, etc. Fried & fatty food items such as pakora, ladoos, bhatura, samosa etc. Chemical irritants such as condiments, spices, pickle, chutney.
Body temperature rises at night
For most people, body temperature naturally increases by 1.5°F at night. Combine that with your body's revved up immune system in the evening, and your low-grade fever is more likely to become a full-blown fever at night. This means more achiness and more of that all-around sick feeling.
Most colds go away on their own within seven to 10 days and don't turn into anything more serious. Common cold treatment includes over-the-counter (OTC) medications to help reduce your symptoms and keep you comfortable until you recover.
Because sleep can actually help your immune system fight your cold or flu on it's own. Getting enough sleep gives your body time to rest, recover and fight off whatever is causing your sore throat.
Let's clear the air on one thing – cold air doesn't make you sick. In fact, getting fresh air is good for you when you're feeling under the weather. When you're cooped up inside, you're sharing the same air with those around you.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a fever is at least 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius. If you have flu-like symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least a day after your fever is gone, except to get medical attention or take care of necessities.
Don't exercise when symptoms are below the neck, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or a productive cough. These are signs that your body is busy fighting off infection and would benefit from rest. “Remember, when you have a fever, your body is working overtime to fight the infection.