How a Good Night’s Sleep Can Keep SCV’s Coronavirus Cases at Bay

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Like the rest of America, the Santa Clarita Valley is still having significant issues with the COVID-19 pandemic. As of November 4th, the Valleywide report showed that the area had seen a total of 7.541 cases, which resulted in 76 known deaths. While reported daily cases are certainly down from the highs in May, the Valley is still seeing as many as 50 to 60 new cases pop-up each day.

With a 1% mortality rate, the Santa Clarita Valley is trending slightly above national averages, setting off alarm bells amongst Californian community leadership. As of recent stats, only 13 individuals have been hospitalized after contracting the virus. The mortality rate has also gradually tapered since the middle of the summer. However, current numbers still suggest the Valley is struggling to prevent new cases. Despite these rising caseloads, current treatments for hospitalized COVID-19 patients prove successful.

In an effort to flatten the curve, local government leaders expect residents and visitors of the Santa Clarita Valley to abide by the mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines in place. These are guidelines that have been set forth by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Aside from following these guidelines, all Californians are encouraged to do whatever is necessary to improve their overall physical health: eat a balanced diet, exercise daily, get the recommended hours of sleep, etc.

According to national and regional health experts, the best way to protect yourself from the grip of the virus is to focus on your physical health. By taking the recommended vitamin supplements and avoiding illicit substances that can wreak havoc on your physical health, SCV residents can minimize the risk of contagion.

If you want to enjoy eight uninterrupted hours of quality sleep, you might want to consider purchasing a high-quality memory foam mattress from a reputable company like Essentia. Without access to an approved vaccine/known cure of COVID-19, a good night’s sleep is one of many ways to fend off the coronavirus.

How a good night’s sleep can help fend off the COVID-19 virus

One of the primary functions of the human immune system’s primary functions is to generate cytokine proteins and T cells, a type of lymphocyte. Without a sufficient amount of cytokine, an individual would be more susceptible to a dangerous virus like COVID-19.

Unfortunately, questionable sleeping habits cause the body to wear down gradually. As the body wears down, it decreases the body’s ability to generate enough cytokines and T cells. That’s why it’s so crucial that you consistently get a good night’s sleep on a nightly basis.

Tips for getting a good night’s sleep

If you don’t get the recommended amount of sleep, it won’t be long before your mental and physical health suffers the consequences. You’ll get lethargic and suffer from a reduced quality of life. The sleep deprivation will also negatively impact your immune system, making you more susceptible to virus contraction. In the raging battleground of the COVID-19 virus, the last thing you’ll want your artillery is a compromised immune system.

While a new foam mattress is an excellent place to start in your journey to a quality night’s sleep, there are other things you can do to promote better sleep. Here are some tips for you to follow.

Focus on nutrition

Your diet has a direct impact on all aspects of your physical and mental health. While eating the right foods can help you sleep better, many of these same foods will also strengthen your immune system.

The foods known to promote better sleep are the ones that contain melatonin and tryptophan. Therefore, the foods you should slip into your regular diet include dairy products, nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc.), wheat/oat products, turkey, green vegetables, tuna, and fruits, like mangoes and cherries.

In your quest for the recommended eight hours, you should avoid alcoholic beverages and anything that contains caffeine. Luckily, after a good night’s sleep, you won’t need to chug coffees and teas just to make it five o’clock.

Shut off electronic devices early

Electronic devices like smartphones, TVs, and computers emit sleep-disrupting blue light. Blue light disrupts your circadian rhythm, which tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime. That’s a problem if you usually sleep after sunset.

Doctors recommend that you turn off your electric devices about an hour before bedtime. With those recommendations in mind, watching TV in bed is not recommended.

Get exercise

Your body needs routine exercise to maintain optimal physical fitness. For good physical health, you must also grant your body the opportunity to exert energy during the day. If you don’t get enough exercise during the day, all of the energy you didn’t exert during the day will come back and haunt you at night. A regular outdoor exercise regimen could add hours to your sleep every night. Just be sure to avoid exercising immediately before bed, as those naturally released endorphins will keep you tossing and turning for hours on end.

Establish a bedtime routine

As creatures of habit, humans seem to function better when they establish routines. If you want to sleep better, you should set and follow nighttime rituals. For example, you can wake up each morning at the same time or take a warm shower or bath before bedtime to help you relax.

Create a peaceful sleeping environment

For many people, noise and light make it difficult to go to sleep. To promote better sleep, doctors recommend you black out the windows, lower your room’s temperature, and turn off any appliances that might make constant noise. Another trick you might consider is decorating your room in neutral and dark colors.

Final thoughts

Along with routine mask-wearing and following social distancing protocols, do your part to build immunity against the virus’ effects. With hospitals reaching capacity in the early phases of the coronavirus’ second wave, it’s all the more important to care for our bodies.

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