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Why do we feel sicker at night? A doctor answers - voila! health

2023-01-11T11:49:56.174Z


Sick and feeling worst in the middle of the night? You're not alone. Why do we feel worst at night and how do we solve it? Here are all the answers


Everything you need to know about winter diseases (Walla! NEWS system)

The winter illness season is in full swing, and many of us are sick at home with colds, sore throats, coughs and high fevers and spend most of the day in bed.

But one question bothers many - why do we feel much worse at night, and does it really happen to everyone?



It doesn't matter if it's a cold or an intestinal infection, the flu or a urinary tract infection - nighttime seems to be the worst time to be sick.

So is it just a feeling that comes from our general tiredness or is the night really the time when all diseases manage to cause us much more suffering?

Here are the answers, and also some ways to manage to sleep while sick.

Are we really sicker at night or is it just in our heads?

As surprising as it may sound, you are not imagining it.

At night you are really sicker.

Just as the body undergoes changes between day and night, as body temperature changes and the rate of metabolic activity slows down, so also symptoms of an acute illness can undergo certain changes and be affected by the same "biological clock" between the hours of day and night.

Why always at night?

Illustration of a sick woman in bed (Photo: ShutterStock)

How does the biological clock affect the immune system?

The activity of the immune system is critical all the time, but of course especially important in times of active infection in the body.

However, a large part of the symptoms of the disease, such as fever or muscle pain, are actually the result of the activity of the immune system against the pathogens, and not necessarily due to the direct effect of the disease factors themselves.

On the other hand, the intensity of the activity of the immune system is not constant and is influenced, among other things, by the biological clock.



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So what happens at night?

At night people tend to experience more severe symptoms as their immune system kicks into high gear.

This is one of the reasons why the symptoms of the disease are worse at night.

On the other hand, in the afternoon and early evening, the activity of the immune system is less, so the symptoms may be milder during these hours.

The immune system goes into high gear.

A woman who does not sleep (Photo: ShutterStock, Rido)

Are there other reasons for feeling bad at night?

Definitely.

The long and quiet hours of the night may be another factor in worsening the symptoms.

The fact that during the night the full attention is directed to pain and discomfort and there are fewer distractions than during the day, may also have a negative effect.

In addition, many symptoms associated with winter diseases such as cough, congestion in the nose and throat tend to worsen when lying down compared to standing.

The mucous membranes tend to be more congested when lying down, the breathing is less effective and the cleaning of secretions is less effective.

In addition, a runny nose can slide more towards the back of the throat instead of out of it when we lie down.

More in Walla!

How do you stop the annoying cough that doesn't let you sleep at night?

To the full article

Another reason for the bad feeling is that the nighttime is a relative state of dehydration compared to the daytime, a state that makes the secretions - like a runny nose - more viscous.

so what are we doing?

Drinking plenty of water before going to bed, taking painkillers before bed, decongestant sprays and sleeping on an elevated pillow can all help you get through the night peacefully.

  • health

  • my health

  • Doctor, what have I got?

Tags

  • cold

  • the flu

  • winter diseases

  • I'm just asking

Source: walla

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