

Study finds viruses are more dangerous in the morning

One more reason to stay in bed?

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Too many early mornings could actually be taking their toll on your health, research has found. The study by the University of Cambridge, and published in PNAS, found that viruses are more dangerous when they infect people in the morning, suggesting that it may be a lot safer to stay in bed.

The study found that viruses can be up to 10 times more successful if the infection started in the morning. The researchers looked at the effects of infecting mice with either influenza or the herpes virus at different times of the day. They found that the mice infected in the morning had 10 times higher viral levels than those infected in the evenings. Akhilesh Reddy, Professor at University of Cambridge said:


It also means a disrupted body clock, caused by shift-work or jet lag, could make you more vulnerable to infection. Viruses are independent particles that can only replicate by infecting a host cell. They are dependent on hijacking living cells in order to replicate and grow. The study found that the ability of the viruses to hijack cells changed dramatically as part of a 24-hour pattern known as the body clock.

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This means that different functions of the body—including cell regeneration—vary according to the time of day. Rachel Edgar from University of Cambridge adds:


The research focused on a circadian rhythm gene called Bmal1, which had its peak activity in the afternoon in both mice and people.

The scientists also found that this gene undergoes seasonal variations. It is less active during the winter months, while it increases in the summer. It might explain why infections such as influenza are more likely to spread during the winter.

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