Really Intense Physical Exertion May Raise Risk of Respiratory Infections
Wise & Well Weekly: The newsletter helping you make tomorrow a little better than today
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, with science-backed insights you can use to improve your physical, mental and emotional well-being. If you like what you see, please follow Wise & Well and/or subscribe to this newsletter. This newsletter now goes out on Fridays.
This Week’s Snapshot
A new study of firefighters right after extremely intense physical exertion during hot weather found “a decrease in signaling molecules important for inflammation and for fighting off viral infections,” scientists report in the journal Military Medical Research.
Please, please do not use that insight as an excuse to avoid exercise. The finding is based on a small study, and while it’s super interesting, it is not the final word on the notion, and certainly doesn’t apply to the sort of workouts most of us engage in. After all, it’s well established that regular physical activity — something so simple as brisk walking 20 minutes each day, up to and including vigorous daily activity — is vital to good health.
So how intense was this activity? Here’s the setup, as described by the researchers:
“The 11 young firefighters went through a rigorous training exercise, carrying up to 40 pounds of gear over hilly terrain during a 45-minute training exercise in the California sun. Gloves, helmets, flashlights, goggles, and more weighted them down as they sprinted through the countryside wearing fire-resistant clothing to show they were ready to serve as wildland firefighters.”
The researchers then took samples of blood, urine and saliva for analysis. The conclusion, which should be considered preliminary given the small sample size, and understood in the context of really intense activity under the duress of heat:
“People who are very fit might be more prone to viral respiratory infection immediately after vigorous exercise,” said study team member Ernesto Nakayasu, PhD, a biomedical scientist at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. “Having less inflammatory activity to fight off an infection could be one cause.”
The research did not investigate whether less intense exercise might have similar but less pronounced effects. But other studies have shown that in general, physical activity bolsters the immune system and actually lowers the risk of respiratory infections.
My view on this: Intense exercise is good for us, and can be loads of fun. But we also need to recover, get plenty of quality sleep, eat well, and let the body reset and rejuvenate. Balance and moderation. And if you’re a wildland firefighter, well… take care of yourself!
Now let’s move on to some truly actionable health and wellness information…
HEALTHY READING
A selection of this week’s informative and insightful Wise & Well articles:
We Really Need to Talk About Migraines
Most people who know her would never guess this writer has had migraines for 35 years. In fact, most of us aren’t aware of people we know who have migraines, because the condition exists in the shadow of stigma and misappropriated shame. Yet it’s one of the most common debilitating human ailments, so she’d like to help us all sort fact from fiction and stop being afraid to discuss it.
— By Gail Post, PhD
Why Loneliness Isn’t Your Fault: On Genes, Alienation, and Hope
The writer, who knows what it means to be lonely, draws on his own experiences plus science and a poignant scene from Good Will Hunting to explain how loneliness is a bit like gravity. It can pull you down, but you can also work with it if you grasp the aspects that are in your control versus those that are not.
— By Stephan Joppich
Melatonin: More Than Just a Sleeping Pill
Use of the supplement has soared. But it does not work the way most people think. Here’s a deep dive into the science, from a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, to help you understand if melatonin might be useful to you, or if it’s just unnecessary or even harmful.
— By John Kruse MD, PhD
The Surprising Link Between Deep Sleep and Dementia
New research reveals that among people 60 and older, even a small reduction in deep sleep — the high-quality stage of slumber when the brain and body enjoy the bulk of the rejuvenating effect of sleep — is associated with an increased risk of dementia. Here’s what to know and what to do.
— By Annie Foley
Am I Destined For Endless Burnout?
The demotivation that comes with burnout goes way beyond regular tiredness. And this neurodivergent writer finds herself in its throes. Again. Through her experience, some advice for all of us: “If we do not allow ourselves to rest, the rest will impose itself on us in the form of poor mental and physical health.”
— By Annika Hotta
Friends Provide Protection
Friends offer more than social benefits. Among their most important contributions is protecting us from ourselves. “Friends help us get out of our own way, which is particularly important since most humans are their own worst enemy,” this psychiatrist writes. Friends also give us reference points to help us navigate life’s challenges, and even save our lives — if we let them.
— By John Kruse MD, PhD
Therapeutic Olive Oil: New Research on Food as Medicine
Olive oil contains a fat molecule that protects against diseases involving iron, suggesting new food-based treatment options. One of the scientists involved in the research explains the findings, in the context of how food can profoundly alter health — all in plain English.
— By Brent R. Stockwell, PhD
Lies, Damn Lies, and Total Bullshit
We all lie. White lies, shaded truths, lies of omission and even outright fabrications are a consequence of being human, science has shown. But big, dehumanizing lies are destabilizing society. So why do powerful people spew such BS? And why do people believe them?
— By Robert Roy Britt
RANDOM BIT OF WISDOM
“My diabetes is such a central part of my lfe… it did teach me discipline… it also taught me about moderation… I’ve trained myself to be super-vigialant… because I feel better when I am in control.”
— Sonia Sotomayor
Wise & Well writers are physicians, psychiatrists, research scientists, dieticians, fitness experts, journalists and other professionals who share their expertise to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. If you like any of these highly curated, professionally edited stories, please follow Wise & Well and/or subscribe to this newsletter. — Rob
