Before you rise and shine tomorrow, you may want to hit that snooze button -- getting enough sleep could be the healthiest thing you do this flu season.
"It really as important as washing your hands," said Dr. Jeremy Weingarten, of New York Methodist Hospital. "It's a major component of total body wellness."
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that the more you sleep, the less likely you are to get sick.
"People who got less than seven hours of sleep caught the common cold more frequently than those who got more than eight hours," said Dr. Weingarten.
Call it vitamin Zzz's -- sleep is a natural and free way to boost your immune system.
Dr. Matthew Weissman, Medical Director of at the Ryan Nena Health Center on the Lower East Side, says he reminds parents during flu season to make sure kids are getting enough sleep -- weather they're sick or healthy.
"Create a bedtime routine," said Weissman. "Bath, story, pajamas, that sort of thing calms kids down for sleep.
