Most of us suffer through a few bouts of cold or flu each year—nothing a little chicken soup and extra rest can’t take care of. But others get sick much more often, ending in a seemingly never-ending cycle of cold, flu, and respiratory illnesses. If you frequently find yourself sniffly and sneezy, it could be due to poor diet, lack of sleep, or stress. To boost your immune system and reduce sick days, try diversifying your diet, finding ways to de-stress, and taking supplements like zinc and vitamin C.    

5 reasons why you’re always sick

Getting sick every so often is normal, but if you’re sick more often than your family, friends, or coworkers, there may be an underlying issue wreaking havoc on your immune system.

1. You don’t get enough sleep

When you sleep, your body can rest, repair, and recharge. Sleep is essential to your mood, brain health, stress, and, yes, immune system function. Unfortunately, sleep is often the first thing we sacrifice when life gets busy. If you aren’t getting at least 7-8 hours every night, it could contribute to your recurring colds. 

Research has shown that sleep is closely related to the immune system, and a lack of sleep can contribute to inflammation and produce immunodeficiency. In one study, participants who regularly got less than seven hours of sleep were three times more likely to catch a cold than participants who slept for eight hours or more. 

2. Your diet is lacking certain nutrients

You might be familiar with tracking your macros to ensure you get the proper amounts of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, but don’t ignore micronutrients. Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals critical to maintaining good health. They play a role in keeping your immune system strong enough to fight off illness. 

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to negatively impact the immune system, while vitamin C and zinc can shorten the duration of common colds between 14-33%. 

3. You’re constantly stressed

Some stress is good for you, but being in a constant high-stress state can take its toll. If you’re constantly stressed out due to work, finances, or your personal life, you may see the effects of this stress in how often you get sick. Experiencing high levels of psychological stress can make you more susceptible to catching upper respiratory infections and also increase the duration of the illness. That’s because chronically high cortisol levels can cause the immune system to become “resistant,” while an accumulation of stress hormones and increased production of inflammatory cytokines further compromise the immune response. Put simply, if you’re constantly stressed, you are more likely to get sick and stay sick longer.  

Stress can also have a snowball effect on the other factors affecting your immune system, disrupting your sleep and increasing your reliance on convenience foods instead of fresh, nutritious, home-cooked meals.   

4. You have an underlying health condition

When your immune system is weakened, you’re much more susceptible to catching the common cold or suffering from a nasty bout of stomach flu. Those who are immunocompromised can find themselves sick more often and more severely than those with healthy immune systems. You can be immunosuppressed for several different reasons, including a recent organ transplant, chronic illness, diseases like cancer or HIV, or simply being elderly.     

5. Your hand hygiene needs work

You probably hear it all the time, but washing your hands (and washing them well) does reduce your risk of getting sick. Better handwashing practices can reduce gastrointestinal illnesses by 31% and respiratory illnesses by 21%. Handwashing is vital, especially in highly populated areas like public transit, shopping malls, or airports.

Top 6 tips to boost your immune system (and avoid getting sick)

Eat a colorful diet

Eating a varied diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables will ensure you get enough vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system functioning well. An easy way to do this is by filling your plate with a rainbow of different produce. Orange fruits and vegetables like carrots and papayas contain beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the body and contributes to a healthy immune system. Green vegetables like broccoli and bok choy are rich in B vitamins. Eating the rainbow means you’ll get enough micronutrients to keep you healthy and, hopefully, sick less often. 

Sleep more

Resist the temptation to skimp on sleep when you’re busy or stressed—if you get sick, it may cost you days of missed work in the long run. Count seven or eight hours backward from when you have to wake up and set a bedtime alarm to ensure you get enough rest. Use blackout blinds or a noise machine to help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer.

Pro tip: If you’re really struggling with sleep, consider sleep supplements like melatonin, tart cherry, or GABA.

De-stress

Even if you aren’t working in a high-pressure environment or experiencing big changes in your personal life (like a move, divorce, or birth of a child), stress can still accumulate and, over time, become debilitating. 

Finding healthy ways to relieve stress can bring you back to baseline, reducing the chance stress will impact your immune system. De-stressing activities include working out, yoga, meditation, walking, or participating in hobbies you enjoy.   

Make movement a priority

Research has indicated that physical exercise can be instrumental in supporting a healthy immune system. So take time to move your body—even if it’s just a short walk before work, during your lunch hour, or after dinner. The best way to build movement into your life is to find an activity you enjoy, whether hiking, dancing, or playing a team sport. By doing so, you’ll be building fitness and a healthy immune system, too. 

Practice good hygiene

Wash those hands! Lather up with soap and water, and wash for at least 20-30 seconds—making sure to get under your fingernails, between your fingers, and the backs of your hands. Always wash your hands after you go to the bathroom, but don’t stop there! Give your hands a little freshening up when you’ve been in contact with high-touch surfaces like door knobs or handrails or when you’ve been shaking hands with others. Making sure your hands are clean can do a lot to reduce the risk of illness.

Supplement where needed

In an ideal world, we’d get all the necessary vitamins and nutrients from healthy food sources, but in the real world, that isn’t always possible. When your diet slips, you can help fill in the gaps with supplements designed to support a healthy immune system. Vitamins C, D, and zinc can help prevent colds and shorten their duration if you do catch one. And the moment you feel a cold coming on, try elderberry and oil of oregano.

Feel good, get better

Many things you can do to proactively support your immune system and ward off common colds are also components of keeping your mind and body healthy in general. Eating a balanced diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, getting enough sleep, keeping stress in check, and staying active will not only ensure you get sick less, it’ll help you maintain a healthy weight, strong heart, and active mind for years to come.