Your coworker had to come to work sick. Now you think you feel your own cold coming on. But there’s actually a super-simple way to head it off at the pass: You need to sleep.
According to a study published in the oh-so-creatively named academic journal Sleep, the germs that cause the common cold are basically everywhere. But what makes you extra susceptible is the number of hours of sleep you’re getting each night.
For example, say you average five or six hours. You’re actually four times more likely to catch a cold than someone who sleeps at least seven.
Here’s why: The more rested you are, the easier it is for your body to fight viruses and inflammation and runny noses. It’s as basic as that.
So the next time you see Lucy sneezing her face off ’round the office, don’t fret: Just hit the hay a tiny bit earlier and you should be golden.
