11 Autoimmune Disease Care Tips for Long-Term Health

4. Prioritize sleep for immune resilience

Sleep affects inflammation and the immune system more than most people realize. Prioritizing consistent, restorative sleep is one of the best long-term investments you can make for autoimmune health. Aim for steady bedtimes and wake times, even on weekends. Build a short pre-sleep routine: dim lights, turn off screens thirty to sixty minutes before bed, and do a calming activity such as light reading or a brief breathing exercise. Keep the bedroom cool and quiet and use blackout curtains or a sleep mask if needed. If pain interferes with rest, talk with your clinician about nighttime pain plans that won’t disrupt sleep architecture. For those who like warm drinks at night, a small cup of warm milk with a pinch of turmeric can be comforting—present it as a calming habit rather than a medical cure. Addressing sleep apnea, restless legs, or other sleep disorders with a specialist is important because untreated disorders raise inflammation. Improving sleep tends to boost energy, sharpen thinking, and reduce susceptibility to flares.