Vitamin Zzz May Prevent Colds

A woman wipes her nose
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In a recent research study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, investigators have shown that preventing a cold may be as easy as getting enough sleep.

It is believed that sleep can have important effects on immunity, or the body's ability to fight infection. Those with poor sleep may be more prone to getting infections, including the common cold.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University examined 153 healthy men and women over two weeks and assessed their sleep duration, sleep efficiency (percentage of time in bed actually asleep), and whether they subjectively felt rested. Then the participants were quarantined and given nasal drops containing rhinovirus, the cause of colds. They were monitored for signs of illness for five days.

An association between illness and average sleep duration became clear: those with less than 7 hours of sleep were 2.94 times as likely to develop a cold than those who slept 8 hours or more. Those who spent more time tossing and turning and had a poorer sleep efficiency -- 92% versus 98% -- were 5.50 times as likely to get a cold. There was no association with simply feeling more or less rested.

The researchers accounted for other factors that make people more susceptible to illness, including: stress, smoking, drinking, and lack of exercise. They still found that the connection between sleep and resisting a cold exists. It is believed that sleep may fine-tune the body's immune response, though further research is sure to follow.

Reference

Cohen, S. et al. "Sleep Habits and Susceptibility to the Common Cold." Archives of Internal Medicine. 2009;169(1):62-67.