A recent scientific breakthrough reveals that your body is better equipped to fight infection during the day, thanks to the behavior of specific immune cells that track time.
According to a report from NPR, researchers at the University of Auckland discovered that neutrophils — fast-acting immune cells — respond more effectively during daylight hours. Their behavior changes significantly depending on whether it’s day or night.
Zebrafish Study Reveals Time-Sensitive Immune Action
Using transparent zebrafish and fluorescent tracking, scientists observed how neutrophils in the body react to threats at different times of day. The experiment showed that these immune cells are more responsive and proactive during daylight, a finding that supports existing observations on healing and infection resistance.
Neutrophils Know What Time It Is
Despite living less than 24 hours, neutrophils appear to have an internal mechanism that senses time. This helps the body mount a faster immune response when it’s most exposed to external threats — during the daytime.
“We think these immune cells respond to the body’s internal clock, which may explain why healing and infection resistance peak when the sun is up,” said one researcher.
Why It Matters
This discovery may help medical experts better understand how to time treatments and interventions more effectively. Knowing that immune function varies between day and night could lead to optimized medication schedules or adjusted care routines in hospitals.
Researchers hope to explore whether this internal clock mechanism can be adjusted or strengthened in patients with weakened immune systems.
Article updated 1 day ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
