Sleep Hormone Melatonin Supports
Immune System Health
Coronavirus,
or COVID-19, is not the first germ to sweep the globe, nor will it be the last.
We are bombarded on a daily basis with microbes that can cause serious or even
fatal disease. Although we are currently more aware of the deadly potential of
viral disease, we have always been at risk. Our immune systems are the one
thing standing between us and the threat of viral illness. New research
suggests that melatonin supports immune system health, making our circadian
rhythms more important and more relevant than ever.
Your Immune System and
Your Internal Clocks
Although
we think of melatonin primarily as a sleep hormone, it has an established role in health and healing. This
biochemical acts as an antioxidant, helping to remove toxins from our cells so
they can rebuild after inflammation or even just the stresses of daily
metabolism. Because our immune systems cause a great deal of inflammation as
part of their work in fighting bacteria and viruses, this antioxidant activity
is crucial to our health.
Scientists
once believed that melatonin is produced exclusively by areas of our brain
dedicated to regulating the circadian rhythm. However, we now know that this is
not the case. A variety of human tissues produce melatonin, including
gastrointestinal tissues as well as certain immune cells.
This
suggests that melatonin may be involved in the immune system for more than just
its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A new wave of studies on this
topic offers new evidence that melatonin supports a healthy immune
system in a variety of ways.
How Melatonin Supports
Immune System Activity
Because
melatonin decreases inflammation, a key feature of immune activity, it was
initially believed to act as an immune suppressant. However, it has long been
noted that people who get more rest recover more quickly from infections and
are less likely to become ill in the first place.
New
studies suggest that melatonin actually plays a complex role in immune system
health, acting as an immune modulator.
This means that it increases immune response in some cases while mitigating its
effects in others. This can be particularly beneficial in infections from
viruses such as coronavirus, in which the immune system can overreact and cause
organ failure.
Our
immune system, like so many areas of our lives, needs to be regulated carefully
to prevent both over-reaction and under-reaction. Melatonin provides this
needed moderation, supporting optimal immune activity and protection against
infectious disease.
Immunity When You Need
It the Most
Most
of us have fully functioning immune systems that can take on a variety of
infectious illnesses. However, certain groups can benefit immensely from any
immune boost. Melatonin appears to play an especially powerful role in the
immune systems of elderly people, who are most at risk of serious
complications and death from infections.
In
addition, melatonin appears to have immense effects on how our immune systems
handle cancer. Our body’s immune cells play a vital role in
recognizing and stopping cancer in its very earliest stages. Melatonin appears
to help our immune system to identify budding cancers as they occur. This may
be why insomnia and other sleep disorders increase the rates of breast cancer
and other deadly malignancies.
We
do not currently understand all of the ways that melatonin supports immune
system health. However, it is clear that we need ample amounts of this hormone for our whole-body health.
Are You Getting the
Melatonin That You Need?
Melatonin
is made in our brain and in a variety of tissues in our bodies. However, this
does not mean that most modern people are getting the amount that they need for
good immune system health.
Sleep
disorders are a growing issue in our world, affecting the majority of people at
some point in their lives. Millions of people worldwide report having
insufficient sleep in the last month, with many experiencing trouble sleeping
on a nightly basis. Altogether, around 30 percent of the population suffers from a sleep disorder of some kind.
Many
people with sleep disorders are not making the melatonin that they need for
sleep and for good health. In a world that seems to be designed to discouraged
sleep, this should not be a surprise. Many of us work jobs that prevent us from
keeping normal hours. Others among us live in areas with high levels of light
pollution, which can significantly reduce melatonin production. With
smartphones and other well-lit screens ubiquitous in our bedrooms, it can also
pose a challenge for people who are not getting the sleep they need.
Increasing Melatonin
Naturally
How can
our overworked and under-rested population get the melatonin that we need to
fight off infections? Lifestyle changes can make an impact. For example,
turning off screens and light sources an hour before bedtime can help you to
make more melatonin and get better sleep. In addition, limiting light pollution
with blackout curtains can be beneficial as well. For people who cannot easily
change their lifestyle, melatonin supplements can
help to provide healthy levels of the hormone.
Regardless
of how you get enough sleep, it is important to make this your goal. Good sleep
is essential for not just immune health, but for almost every aspect of
wellness.
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