Protected: Sleep Loss and Your Immune System Sleep is one of the most important aspects of health and it’s usually the first thing we sacrifice. As a Warfighter, a lack of sleep affects your operational readiness and overall health. Sleep loss has both immediate and long-term impacts, including decreasing the effectiveness of your immune system. Your immune system works to keep you healthy. It helps your body fight infections and is known as your very own defense mechanism. This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: ReferencesJohns Hopkins Medicine - “The Immune System”Mayo Clinic - “Lack of sleep: Can it make you sick?”MedlinePlus - “Immune System and Disorders”Sleep Foundation. - “How Sleep Affects Immunity”U.S. Government Accountability Office. - “Lack of Sleep Has Left Our Military Less Combat Ready and More Prone to Accidents with Dire Consequences.”
