Eli5: Why is it that we get sick / recovered from sick always happen when were sleeping?

Question

8yr me always think that if we dont sleep we will not get sick (stupid i know)

Just wondering what the hell happened when we sleep and why does the immune system win/lose from sickness when we sleep

In: 0

Answer 1

Typically symptoms you feel are your body fighting the infection, not from the infection itself.

When you sleep your body shuts down some process and uses that energy elsewhere, like fighting infections. So when you sleep, your body fights the infection harder and so you feel the symptoms more.