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Janet O'Mahony, M.D., FACP

Mercy Internist Dr. Janet O'Mahony Discusses Connection Between Lack Of Sleep And Getting A Cold

Getting a good night's sleep might prevent you from getting another cold this winter.

According to Mercy Medical Center internist Dr. Janet O'Mahony, getting at least eight hours of sleep each night can make all the difference to your health.

"I have to remind my patients all the time that getting rest and eating right is the key to good health," Dr. O'Mahony said.

A recent study done by Pittsburgh researchers in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that people who got less than seven hours of sleep each night were three times as likely to develop a cold than those who got eight or more hours of uninterrupted sleep.

"You would think it's obvious that if you get enough sleep, you're going to feel better. Sleep is important in everything. If you don't get enough sleep, you're more fatigued; you're more likely to have an accident. So, it kind of seems obvious," Dr. O'Mahony said.

She said while there may be other ways to try to prevent colds, the results of the study proves sleep is important.

"To prevent colds — there really hasn't been much shown to help that. So, taking vitamin C every day doesn't prevent colds. Taking Echinacea doesn't prevent colds, but getting enough rest — that makes a difference," she said.

Once you get a cold, sleep may not help cure it, but it can help you feel more rested, Dr. O'Mahony added.

For more information, view Dr. O'Mahony's segment on WBAL-TV11's "The Woman's Doctor" at http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/18835073/detail.html.