NPR

It's Not Just A Cold, It's 'Sickness Behavior'

Feeling grumpy and antisocial because you've got a cold? That's not just a random side effect. It's your body saying hey, slow down and rest so you can get better.
Source: Fanatic Studio

It's just a cold. But even though I know I'm not horribly ill, I feel this overwhelming need to skip work, ignore my family and retreat to the far corner of the sofa.

I'm not being a wimp, it turns out. Those feelings are a real thing called sickness behavior, which is sparked by the body's response to infection. The same chemicals that tell the immune system to rush in and fend off invading viruses also

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