Sleeping less than 5 Hours a night Vulnerable Developing Cough Colds

Sleeping less than 5 Hours a night Vulnerable Developing Cough Colds - "In many countries, especially Western countries, sleep is not a priority when it is linked to productivity. It's just that, a little sleep because of the flurry of may not be influential in the short term but not for the long term, "said study author Erica Prather of the Center for public health at the University of California, San Francisco.

Sleeping less than 5 Hours a night Vulnerable Developing Cough Colds

Too little sleep can have a direct impact on the health of the cardiovascular, endocrine and immune functions that can increase the risk of disease over time, says Prather told Reuters Health.

In addition, lack of sleep can increase the risk of poor health. Prather continued, "They can sleep for a little while or less than 5 hours a night is not likely to have much time for sports and are more likely to choose foods with the nutrients that are not ideal, so from time to time, can affect health."

Researchers use data from more than 22000 adults in the national health and Nutrition Survey between 2005 and 2012.

Sleeping less than 5 Hours a night Vulnerable Developing Cough Colds

The participants reported on the number of hours of sleep on weekdays, a history of sleep disorders, and whether they have trouble sleeping.

They are also asked to answer questions about how often experience headaches, coughs, colds, pneumonia, or infection of the ear.

Nearly 14 percent of the respondents said they slept no more than five hours per night, 23 percent sleep for six hours, 56 percent sleep for seven to eight hours, and 7 percent said they slept for nine hours or more per night.

During the 30 day study, 19 percent of respondents who slept for five hours or less, often experience headache or cough, rather than those who sleep 6 hours or more.

After taking into account factors such as age, gender, race, smoking status and level of education, those with diagnosed sleep disorders are also more likely to catchcolds and coughs and respiratory infections, said the study published in the April 11 JAMA Internal Medicine.

"It is our hope that this study can help a person improve the timing and quality of sleep is as important health behaviors," says Prather.

"There is very little training about sleep which is given at the school of medicine, so most doctors do not know anything about sleep," said Dr. Sanjay r. Patel of Beds and cardiovascular Center at the University of Pittsburgh.

"As a result, they do not feel comfortable to talk about sleep to their patients." (source:reuters.com)