b'workoutsmore than an hour and a half longincrease the amount of adrenaline and cortisol in the body. These stress hormones depress the immune system function and can leave you more susceptible to illness for up to 72 hours after your workout. Instead, strive to get at least 150 minutesor a minimum of 30 minutesof moderate-intensity exercise each week.Sleep WellNot getting enough shut-eye can suppress your immune response and put you at greater risk of catching a cold or the flu. Thats because people who are sleep deprived develop fewer antibodies and are more prone to chronic inflammation. Whats more, people who sleep less are actually more likely than well-rested individuals to die ofKeep It Clean!all causes.Want to stay well? Lather Some habits that can help you get the recommendedup! Most viruses are spread seven to nine hours of sleep each night include: through hand-to-hand contact Going to bed at the same time each night and gettingor by touching germy items. up at the same time each morning, including onBut according to research the weekends. published in the journal Clinical Making sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing,Infectious Diseases, washing and at a comfortable temperature. your hands for 20 to 30 seconds Removing electronic devices, such as TVs,using good old-fashioned soap computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom. and water effectively reduces viruses like the flu. Other studies Avoiding large meals, caffeine, and alcohol withinsuggest that handwashing can three hours of bedtime. also remove bacteria. Not near water? While not as effective Stress Less as soap and water, an alcohol-Have you ever noticed that youre more prone to gettingbased hand sanitizer can also sick after a stressful event? Its not your imagination.help reduce the amount of Stress is responsible for 80 percent of all doctorbacteria and viruses you are visits. Although the immune system is initially givenexposed to. a boost when you are stressed out, if the pressure persists, the nutrients needed to meet the demands of stress, particularly protein and the B vitamins, are depleted. Chronic stress also results in immune-suppressing levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine. And high cortisol levels can put a damper on your natural killer cell activity. Research conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center reports that tapping into the relaxation responsea physiological state of deep rest induced by practices such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathingproduces immediate changes in the expression of the genes involved in immune function, energy metabolism, and insulin secretion. Taking time to relax each day can help reset your mind and your bodyand both of these can have a profound impact on your immune system. OPTIMAL IMMUNIT Y13'