Sick, Fat and Clumsy? Get Some Sleep
February 09, 2009
According to a 2003 study by Fendrick et al, the common cold costs the United States economy $40 billion dollars a year, partly due to spending nearly $3 billion on over the counter medicines, over $1 billion on unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions to “treat” this common cold virus, and $400 million on prescriptions for symptomatic relief. The study claims that we suffer on average about 2.5 colds per year. One of the best ways to prevent a cold may be to get enough sleep: Cohen et al report that people who sleep less than 8 hours per night are 3 times more likely to develop a cold than those who sleep more than 8 hours a night.
According to Everson and Toth, sleep deprivation in animals has been found to cause sepsis, or overwhelming infection, without an infectious source, followed by death. Brown et al found that sleep deprivation in mice immunized against influenza virus abrogated the effect of the immunization. Medical trainees are three times more likely to injure themselves with a sharp instrument, such as a needle or scalpel, when they are sleep deprived than when they are not, according to Fisman, et al. Data provided by Gunderson et al suggest that lack of sleep causes significant post-partum weight retention in one of every five women who sleep less than 5 hours a night. So, if you’re not getting enough sleep, expect to get a cold or the flu, avoid the scale, and stay away from sharp objects.
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