World Economic Forum: 2/2/2022
- Dance benefits overall health by strengthening the immune system through physiological processes and muscular processes.
- These are one of the ways to improve your overall health, according to various studies around the world.
- Other practices include improving your sleep and staying hydrated.
Many people know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle includes getting a good night’s rest and eating a balanced diet. However, people are also guilty of approaching their health with a maintenance mindset, and sadly, may refer to taking care of themselves as “indulging in” self-care. On the contrary, taking care of yourself also has the added benefit of improving the very mechanisms your body uses to fight off disease and soothe stress.
The solutions to better immune health are more practical and simpler than you think. However, that also means that we have to bust a few “well-known general health tip” myths as health isn’t an “one size fits all” solution. Here are ten ways to boost your body’s natural defenses to get you started (all science and no hype).
1. Know your sleep pattern, then honor it
According to Harvard University, poor sleep means a slow and grumpy immune system, triggering inflammation in the body. In turn, infections influence the amount of sleep you get and when. In general, not sleeping well may be linked with forcing your body to sleep at a time it just won’t do.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep for adults and longer hours for young adults. However, the foundation also recognizes that not everyone has a preset sleeping pattern. Here are three sleep patterns we know of, one of which your body’s circadian rhythm may naturally fall into:
- Monophasic: You usually get your sleep in one stretch, even if you wake up to go to the bathroom.
- Biphasic: You sleep in two stretches, one longer period (say five hours) and one shorter period (say two hours).
- Polyphasic: You sleep in several stretches or segments throughout the day/night.
How do you know if your sleep pattern is healthy for you? You start by asking: What is my norm, and do I feel well-rested and energetic?
Some people keep a dream journal, but they should also keep a sleep journal. Pay attention to what time your body naturally feels inclined to wake up and rest to find your chronotype. Your circadian rhythm (sleep cycle) can be adapted to your schedule, but your chronotype is more biologically ingrained, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Then, you can work with your body and your daily obligations to more naturally sync them up.
2. Stay hydrated
Many people accept the old advice of “drinking eight eight-ounce glasses of water daily” as a hard rule for adequate water intake. The hydration need of each body differs, however. There’s no Universal Hydration Law to abide by. Many people stay hydrated by drinking water and other fluids when they feel thirsty. Trust your knowledge of your body.