Is Resting Really Helpful?

January 1, 2005 12:49 PM

If you're sick with a common ailment (sore throat, flu, cold, barfing, etc), is it expected that you might sleep more? Does sleeping more really help your body to recover?
posted by wildblueyonder to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

IANAD, but additional sleep is time where your body's energies are not spent on daytime activities but on fighting viruses/bacteria, so, to some extent, it should help you recover.
posted by Bugbread at 1:35 PM on January 1, 2005

Related question: circulation and flushing of the lymph system would seem to be an important related factor, so while I'd expect bedrest would in fact help, going completely sedentary probably wouldn't help the lymph part, right?
posted by weston at 2:20 PM on January 1, 2005

IANAD either, but one of the most important things to healing the sorts of common ailments of uncertain etiology is to let your body heal itself. This means feed it enough, drink enough liquids, and reduce any other stressors that will take up the body's energy dealing with them. Hence: stay warm, get rest, avoid drinking/smoking, eat well, stay home from work, etc. I see sleep as basically code for lowering stress as well as giving your body uninterrupted healing time. And yes, when you're sick you'll generally sleep a lot more, unless you're so sick you can't sleep.
posted by jessamyn at 2:21 PM on January 1, 2005

Also, you don't really feel the symptoms of being sick when you're unconcious.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 4:47 PM on January 1, 2005

In addition to what's already been said, your body releases an optimum amount of growth hormone during deep sleep, which contributes to growth and repair of the body. It also helps boost the immune system, which helps fight off whatever bug you've picked up. So yes, it's normal to want to sleep more when you're ill. That said, if the increased need for sleep continues well beyond the original illness (cold, flu, stomach bug, whatever), the person should certainly see their doctor.
posted by nyxie at 5:23 PM on January 1, 2005