7 Brought to you by & Part of stress reduction is also getting adequate sleep. Sleep is particularly important to immunity because during this nightly downtime the body is devoted to detox, repair and healing. In fact, research shows that people who sleep less than seven hours a night are nearly three times more likely to get sick after being exposed to the cold virus than those who sleep eight hours or more Sweat It OUT Exercise is another great stress buster—and all kinds of movement, including stretching, breathing, strengthening and working your cardiovascular system, are crucial to healthy immune function because physical activity stimulates the flow of lymphatic fluid. The lymphatic system is a series of vessels and glands that transports immune cells and collects waste products throughout the body. Because the lymphatic system has no pump (as the circulatory system has the heart), it relies on muscular contractions to keep things flowing. “Research shows you need at least 150 minutes of exercise per week to maintain health,” says Kris Somol, ND, an adjunct faculty member at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health in Seattle. The most important thing is that you get moving, whether that means walking, biking, dancing, gardening or taking a class such as tai chi. Yoga, with its inversions that help lymph travel from the extremities, may be an especially effective immune-system booster. Studies have found that breast cancer patients enrolled in a yoga program had healthier natural killer-cell counts after chemotherapy, which typically decimates immune cells such as natural killer cells in addition to the cancer cells, than did a control group. Remember, over-exercising can be too much of a good thing. Prolonged and intense training, such as running marathons, is taxing to many parts of the body, including the immune system. Immunity can be impaired for several days after strenuous exercise. Aim for consistency and just the right amount of intensity for your body. Sleep is particularly important to immunity because during this nightly downtime the body is devoted to detox, repair and healing.