Influenza activity continues to increase in the United States and most of the country is now experiencing high levels of influenza-like-illness (ILI), according to the latest FluView report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC).
“Reports of influenza-like-illness are nearing what have been peak levels during moderately severe seasons,” according to Dr. Joe Bresee, Chief of the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch in CDC’s Influenza Division. The CDC continues to recommend influenza vaccination and antiviral treatment when appropriate at this time.
“While we can’t say for certain how severe this season will be, we can say that a lot of people are getting sick with influenza and we are getting reports of severe illness and hospitalizations,” says Bresee.
The CDC advises that you should “get plenty of sleep” to help prevent seasonal flu.
Studies have shown that sleep helps sustain the functioning of the immune system and that chronic sleep loss is a risk factor for immune system impairment.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, most adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night to feel alert and well-rested during the day. Sleeping less than seven hours per night also increases your risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression. Use our bedtime calculator to identify an appropriate bedtime based on your age and wake time.
