Habits That Hurt Your Immune System

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

Keeping your immune system strong during cold and flu season is always important, especially in the midst of a pandemic.  

The number of “immune-boosting” supplements and food products on the market has exploded in the past year. But at the end of the day, the most effective way to maintain a healthy immune system is eating a nutritious diet and having healthy habits, not fancy powders or tinctures.  

However, there are many habits that can hurt your immune system. Here are some of those habits, plus tips for breaking them. 

1. Not getting enough sleep 

Getting adequate, high-quality sleep is key to maintaining a healthy immune system. While you sleep, the body produces certain proteins and compounds that fight infection. Not getting enough sleep may lead to a reduced supply of these important compounds. In fact, studies show that poor sleep can increase the likelihood of getting sick from colds and viruses. 

If you want to get better sleep, try limiting screen time before bed and cutting back on alcohol and added sugars. Adjusting your thermostat to make your room a more comfortable temperature and journaling or reading can also help. Check out this post for more tips on improving sleep hygiene.  

2. Drinking too much alcohol 

Excess alcohol consumption can negatively affect the immune system in many ways. For one, drinking too much alcohol in the evening disrupts sleep, which you now know is vital for immune function. Alcohol also damages immune cells and can destroy gut bacteria that are responsible for optimal immunity. 

If you regularly drink alcohol, try to cut back on the number of drinks you have and work on replacing happy hour with another activity. Exercising, setting up a video call with an old friend, or taking up a new hobby like crafting or playing an instrument can take the place of drinking in the evenings. 

3. Eating too many ultra-processed foods 

Packaged desserts, chips, candy, soda, and indulgent frozen meals may taste good, but they won’t help your immune system. 

These items are often called ultra-processed foods and tend to be high in sodium, added sugars, calories, and unhealthy fats. Ultra-processed foods can have an array of negative effects on the immune system, possibly by increasing inflammation. Eating too much of them can also contribute to weight gain and obesity, which has been associated with a weakened immune response. 

For our tips on cutting back on ultra-processed foods, check out this post. 

4. Ignoring stress 

If you’re constantly stressed out, your immune system may suffer. In fact, chronically high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can suppress the immune response. As a result, you may be more susceptible to infection and illness.  

Instead of ignoring stress, try to implement some of the recommendations in this post, but don’t feel like you need to do them all (that will only make you more stressed)! Making one small change at a time, such as adding 10 minutes of meditation to your schedule, can still make a big difference. 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Keep your immune system strong with the help of our nutritionally balanced, chef-prepared meal plans! Let us take care of your healthy meals, while you focus on implementing better habits. Check out our menus and get started today.