Mother Knows Best!
Remember all those “momisms” we heard throughout our childhood? Turns out mom was right…at least about the following:
Wear a coat and boots outside when the weather is wet and cold or you’ll get sick!
Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions does indeed lower our body’s germ fighting defenses and can increase the likelihood of catching colds and viruses.
It’s important to get plenty of rest!
Again, studies have demonstrated that sleep deprivation has dramatic effects on laboratory measures of immune functions. (Translation: one late night sleepover or all-nighter won’t cause us to become ill; however, diminished sleep or sleep deprivation over multiple nights can diminish our immune system’s ability to fend off illness.)
All that stress and worrying can make you sick!
Hundreds of clinical studies have confirmed—stress clearly affects the immune system. However, parents can relax a little; it is doubtful that brief episodes of stress, such as the big spelling bee or cramming for finals, will make kids susceptible to more frequent or worse infections,. On the other hand, longer-lasting stress may actually adversely affect how kids handle germs.
Wonder what other things Mom might’ve been right about…
Source Material: Germ Proof Your Kids , Harley A. Rotbart, M.D.