While there’s no magic formula that can keep you from getting sick, there is a lot you can do to build up your body’s ability to fight off infection. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best ways to boost your immune system.
1. Minimize the Effects of Stress
Experts recommend setting limits for how much social media and news coverage to take in each day. A constant stream of distressing information takes a toll on your mind and body.
There are many other ways to ease the impact of stress on the body:
- Regular exercise can give you a burst of feel-good endorphins and help your mind refocus on something other than stress.
- Laughter can improve immunity by triggering the release of neuropeptides that fight stress.
- Listening to or creating music can reduce muscle tension and stress hormones.
- Journaling — writing down whatever comes to mind with no thought for grammar, spelling, or form — provides a release for bottled-up emotions and tangled thoughts.
- Mindfulness meditation can lower your anxiety level, heart rate, and blood pressure.
2. Make Cardio a Priority
Aerobic exercise — the kind that increases your heart rate and breathing — can strengthen your body’s ability to fight off infections. Most of the time, we have a relatively small amount of immune cells on patrol in our bodies. The rest of the immune cells hang out in the lymph system, waiting to be activated.
Aerobic exercise increases the flow of blood and lymph, bringing immune cells out in greater numbers. They circulate for hours after exercise, destroying any viruses and bacteria that have made their way into the body.
Exercising once won’t improve immunity over the long-haul, but regular cardio cleanses the body of germs and trains the immune system to detect and respond to invaders. What kind of exercises count as cardio? Options include running, exercising on an elliptical machine, biking, skating, and rowing.
3. Eat More Fruits and Veggies
Having plenty of produce on your plate will strengthen your immune system. Like the rest of our bodies, our immune cells need nourishment to function at their best. Fruits and vegetables provide a wealth of fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can keep our immune systems working at their best.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can also help you maintain a healthy weight, which is crucial to immune system health. Obesity can interfere with the work of the immune system, increasing your risk of infections. The fiber in produce can help you feel full longer after meals, making it easier to stick to your diet plan.
4. Build Muscle
Studies have linked low muscle mass to more frequent and more severe infections. This may be because muscle harbors important immune cells called T-cells until they are needed. New research indicates that greater muscle mass may mean higher reserves of these T-cells and therefore a stronger, longer-lasting immune response.
Strength training builds muscle mass and improves muscle quality, which has to do with whether our muscles are lean or fatty. In studies, lean muscle has been associated with an effective immune system and high rates of survival from certain cancers.
5. Get Enough Sleep
At the end of the day, our bodies need seven to eight hours of sleep to be able to fight off infection. Easier said than done, you say? Try some of the tips below to work toward consistent, high-quality sleep.
- Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same times each day to get your body into a rhythm.
- Exercise 30 minutes a day for better sleep quality.
- Make your bedroom a haven — clean, quiet, softly lit, and free of anything that reminds you of work.
- About six hours before bedtime, switch over to decaf beverages.
- Two hours before bedtime, turn off the TV, stop snacking and limit drinking, and turn down the lights. Put away electronics, if possible, or use a blue light filter on your phone and laptop.
- Set up a simple, relaxing bedtime routine and follow it every night. Consider light reading, meditation, or listening to quiet music.