How Sleep Affects Your Immune System and Can AYO Help?

If you need another reason to get a good night’s sleep, improving your immune system might be the one you are looking for!

Even though increasing the quantity of your sleep won’t necessarily prevent you from getting sick, compromising on it could negatively affect your immune system, leaving you susceptible to infections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, boosting the immune system, the body’s defense force against disease-causing bacteria and viruses, has become crucial for all of us.

Scientists have discovered that quality sleep improves a type of immune cells, known as T cells, which are fighting against virus-infected cells. Good sleep enhances the ability of T cells to attack and destroy virus-infected cells, while sleep deprivation inhibits T cells’ capability to protect us against viruses and other pathogens.

Researchers from the University of California highlight that poor sleep is the number one factor in determining whether someone would get sick after being exposed to the cold virus.

So, can AYO boost your immune system and what role does light play in sleeping better? Read below to find out!

Light is a key regulator of our internal body clock, which is an essential force next to sleep drive in getting a good night's sleep. Exposure to light at the right time of the day regulates our sleep-wake cycle as well as helps improve our sleep quality, one of the most important factors in strengthening the immune system.

Studies have shown that light with a short wavelength, mostly blue light, helps circulate immune cells (T cells) throughout the body. Upon flowing around the body more effectively, these cells get the chance to reach new infections in a quicker manner and prevent them from causing harm.

AYO’s light mimics outdoor light, specifically narrow band blue light, which is important for regulating your body's sleep-wake cycle.

AYO’s gentle blue light enters your eyes and stimulates cells that send signals to the brain to suppress the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Additionally, AYO's light helps fine-tune your sleep-wake rhythm by signaling your body when it is time to sleep and when is the time to be awake. This is especially beneficial during these days when most of us are staying and working from home, without getting the necessary daily exposure to sunlight.

Therefore getting quality sleep is perhaps the most important thing you can do at this moment to boost your immune system!

With that in mind, we have prepared the following tips to help you on your journey to good-quality and refreshing sleep:

1. Upon waking up, enjoy an AYO light session for 30 minutes to reset your body clock and get a head start of the day.
2. If you feel sleepy during the day, you can take a nap, as sleep deprivation suppresses the function of the immune system. Follow up with a short AYO light session to get a quick energy fix and avoid grogginess.
3. In the evening, try to reduce your exposure to bright light sources and dim the lights at your home. Avoid electronics, if possible, 1 or 2 hours before bedtime. If using a smartphone, tablet or another electronic device, utilize the Night Shift mode for iOS or Night Mode for Android devices.
4. Keep your bedroom quiet and relaxing with a cool temperature – between 60 and 67 degrees (15-19 C). Make sure that your sleep environment is also free from any loud noise that can affect your sleep.
5. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and large meals before bedtime. When eating large meals before going to bed, you can feel stomach pain and discomfort, which may interfere with your sleep. Try light snack instead, 45 minutes before bed if you are still hungry. 
6. Maintain a consistent go-to-bed and wake-up schedule during the whole week. It will make it easier to wake up naturally in the morning and soundly fall asleep at night. While tricky to do in the beginning, it will soon pay off!
7. Exercise daily. Regular and light aerobic exercise can help you fall asleep easier and improve your sleep quality.

Lastly, if you would like to receive a free personalized advice on how you can optimize your sleep, get in touch with our support team at support@goayo.com and we would be happy to assist you!