We all have our own cold-avoiding rituals: sipping soup, sucking zinc, mainlining OJ—but it turns out the most powerful way to ward off the rhinovirus costs nothing and is equally available to all: sleep. A new study has found that people who sleep fewer than six hours per night are four times as likely to catch a cold than those who rack up more than seven hours. So far, science has established an associative relationship, not a causative one, meaning it’s not clear whether healthy people are healthy because they sleep more, or getting more sleep increases health. One thing is for certain, though: When it comes to triumphing over cold season, a little extra rest can’t hurt. Have you noticed a connection between the quantity of sleep and your vulnerability to colds or other illnesses? Sound off in the comments.

Too Little Sleep May Quadruple Your Risk for Colds
January 16, 2018