Emmitsburg Osteopathic Primary Care Center
121-123 West Main Street, Rear Entrance
P.O. Box 1219
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
301-447-3310

SLEEP

We are wondrously made.  The human body is designed to allow the white cells to patrol, repair and heal while we are at rest.  The mechanism for this is beta-receptors. If you can imagine your body’s white cells looking like baby porcupines with soft quills, those quills would be the beta receptors.  When we are up and about adrenalin and nor-epinephrine help us go, go, go: heart beats faster, we are awake and perky, etc. For us these hormones fill up our beta receptors for action.  These same hormones will fill the receptors on our white cells and put them to rest.  Under the influence they do not patrol and keep the body free of disease, nor repair the body.  In our sleep state, we are not secreting these activating hormones.  The beta-receptors for the white cells are free and the little white cells run around and do all their work.  These cells require eight or nine hours of activity per day to get their work done.  Therefore, to restore your body, avoid those colds, and avoid brain fog, YOU need eight or nine ours of sleep daily.  Listen to your body, honor your body with sleep, and function well.