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A new study by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has found sleep loss to be more important than any other factor in the likelihood of catching a cold.

The research showed that people who sleep six hours a night or less are four times more likely to catch a cold when exposed to the virus, compared to those who spend more than seven hours a night sleeping.

Aric Prather, assistant professor of psychiatry at UCSF and lead author of the study, said: €It goes beyond feeling groggy or irritable. Not getting sleep fundamentally affects your physical health.€

This highlights the role of sleep in maintaining health levels and the importance of promoting sleep as part of a healthy lifestyle, along with diet and exercise.