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The old adage claims less is more. But, when it comes to sleep, the reverse appears to be true.

A new study by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey has revealed a link between the amount of shut-eye we get and our immune system.

They analysed the nocturnal habits of 22,726 adults between 2005-2012 and found a lack of sufficient rest lowers our resistance to the common cold.

They learned that people who sleep just five hours per night are nearly 20 per cent more likely to catch a cold - and 50 per cent more likely to get an infection, than those who rested for seven hours. 

Similarly, they were 88 per cent more likely to have recently endured a chest or throat infection.

Together, the results suggest a clear correlation between sleep's restorative properties and our overall physical well-being. 

'Sleep plays an incredibly important role in regulating and maintaining an efficient immune system,' the study’s lead author, Aric Prather, told The Huffington Post.

'Sleep has consistently taken a back seat to other health behaviors when it comes to investment, both on the part of the individual who is thinking about his or her health, as well as institutions, including the health care system. 

'Sleep is central to health — and our health might depend on it.'

In 2011 it was revealed that two thirds of us struggle to get a good night’s rest.  

Some 60 per cent of adults admit they have a sleep problem and rarely get the recommended six or seven hours a night, the Mental Health Foundation noted.

More than a third suffer from insomnia, and many have battled with the condition for years. Doctors warn that sleeplessness leads to depression, lack of concentration and an inability to carry out simple tasks.