Dec 22, 2011
— read in fullAre you more likely to get ill at different times of day?
Feb 17, 2012
New research has shown how the body clock affects the immune system.
A late night could not only leave you feeling tired the next day, but could also leave you more likely to get ill, according to researchers in America studying the TLR9 protein – which helps the immune system detect infections – in mice. They found that levels of TLR9 during the day differed according to the circadian cycle, the name for the 24 hour genetic body clock found in everything from plankton to humans. If the circadian cycle was interrupted, as it would be if people went too long without sleep , then levels of TLR9 would fall, making them more vulnerable to illness. However, it would also mean that drugs could be more effective in fighting disease if they were given at specific times.
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