Heat and poor sleep reduce anti-covid immunity

As the head of Unison's sleep service, neurologist-sleep doctor Yelena Tsareva, explained in an interview with Sputnik radio, the heat leads to sleep disturbances, which entails a failure of many body functions, and as a result - a decrease in immunity.

People prone to high blood pressure should be especially careful, the doctor warned. "During the heat, sleep becomes worse. This is due to the fact that when we reach the deepest sleep, then our temperature is the lowest for the entire time of the day. If the environment does not allow to lower the body temperature, then the sleep will be superficial. In addition, there may be awakening and impaired thermoregulation. As a result, this can lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure in those people who are prone to this", - said Yelena Tsareva.

According to her, even one sleepless night increases the risk of getting sick several times. This is especially dangerous now, during the COVID-19 pandemic. "If a person does not sleep well, then one such night is enough to reduce the number of T cells, which are responsible for immunity. Even one sleepless night or a night with poor quality sleep increases the risk of getting sick several times. The risk of getting sick increases for viral diseases", - noted Yelena Tsareva.

To improve sleep in hot conditions, the doctor recommends airing the bedroom before bed and skipping blankets for the summer.