20 secrets to steal from people who never get sick

It’s been shown that lack of sleep causes weight gain, leads to a compromised immune system and increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that triggers stress.

But Sarnoff Mednick, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Southern California, doesn’t worry about such things.

As profiled by Gene Stone in his book The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick, Mednick would take an afternoon nap for most of his adult life and never suffered from colds or flu.

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The fact is, until about the 13th century and the invention of mechanical clocks, humans napped daily.

The best time for a short snooze: Between the hours of one and three in the afternoon.

Most of us ditched our daily naps after preschool, but scientific experiments suggest that was likely a mistake.

Having a snooze – even one as short as ten minutes – can improve alertness, memory and cognitive performance.

Although you may feel as though you fall into a deep slumber after a night of drinking, alcohol actually disrupts your sleep cycle and compromises the quality of your sleep.

Sleep is so wonderfully restorative to your immune system; cutting back on drinking will help your body protect against harmful germs you might be encountering.

Trouble nodding off? There’s no blanket solution for insomnia. But if you’ve tried everything, here may be the bedroom secret that helps you reclaim your night-time rest.

The act of drinking tea – as well as inhaling the steam that’s produced by a hot beverage – will stimulate hair follicles in the nose, making it easier for you to move germs out of your nose when you breathe.

This is what happens to your body when you drink tea every day.

You might not think having a social network would count a much as diet and exercise when it comes to good health.

But studies have found good buddies can protect against everything from memory loss to heart attacks to infectious diseases.

In The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick, Stone shares the story of Sydney Kling, a former nurse and teacher, who can’t remember being ill in all her 75 years.

She credits this to the fact that she is constantly seeking out new friends.

Sociability, she claims, increases self-esteem, which in turn, supports the immune system.

Just remember, having a social calendar is not the same as posting on social media. Just how much time are you spending on social media anyway?

People who eat less protein have been found to have weaker immune systems.

Try to include foods that are rich in protein during every meal so you don’t fall susceptible to that cold that seems to be plaguing everyone else in the office.

Taking exercise seriously? Protein is a major building block for muscle and is broken down and used to fuel muscle recovery after your work-out.

In public spaces, be mindful of what you’re touching and whenever possible, keep your hands to yourself.

Things like subway poles and stair banisters have been touched by hundreds of people before you and contain countless harmful germs.

Your hands reveal a lot about yourself. Sweaty palms or shaky digits could be an early warning of certain conditions.

Strengthen your immune system by treating yourself to a massage every few weeks.

Your circulation will improve and your cells will be nourished with additional oxygen and blood, which can boost your immune system.

You may have had facial massage as part of a salon facial. Feels great, right? Here’s how to give yourself a massage at home.

Sugar impedes upon the ability of white blood cells to destroy viruses and bacteria entering your system, so steering clear of added sugar will help you to stop getting sick.

If you’re a chronic nail-biter or constantly find yourself touching your face, put a stop to this habit and you’ll find yourself getting sick a lot less.

Each time you find yourself reaching for your face, remind yourself that you’re transferring harmful germs to your nose and mouth.

“I wash my hands all the time and open doors and touch elevator buttons with a clean tissue whenever possible,” Dan Collins, who works in media relations at a Baltimore hospital, told Prevention magazine.

“When I return to my desk, I immediately grab my supply of antibacterial hand wipes. And whenever my eye itches, I never use the tip of my finger to scratch unless I can sanitise my finger first; instead, I use my knuckle or the back of my hand, as these areas have had less contact with germs than my fingertips.”

While many people think that cold air causes you to get sick during the winter months, it is actually more time spent inside that is making you sick.

Try to spend a little time outside each day, regardless of the temperature.