If you plan to do you vaccines soon, make sure you get a good night’s sleep the night before. Sleeping less than 6 hours before receiving a dose of the vaccine could indeed shorten its effectiveness by up to two months, according to a new study. And this is especially true for men.
This is because lack of sleep reduces the body’s immune response, limiting the effect of vaccines and making the body more vulnerable to possible infections.
This consequence of lack of sleep is especially significant in men, because they generally have a weaker immune response than women, explains Dr.re Phyllis Zee, director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University.
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But beware: that doesn’t mean that lack of sleep doesn’t affect a woman’s immune response. However, further research will need to be carried out, as their immunity fluctuates according to their hormonal cycle, which was not taken into account in the study.
Man or woman, a person who sleeps less than 6 hours produces fewer antibodies than if they had had a night’s sleep of 7 hours or more. The only exception: people aged 65 and over, who need fewer hours of sleep on average.
What about COVID?
For this study, which appeared in the journal Current Biologyresearchers from the University of Chicago and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in France studied the case of people vaccinated against influenza and hepatitis.
But what about vaccines against COVID-19? The researchers believe that the results of the study can be extended to these vaccines, although it is still too early to say this beyond any doubt.
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Regardless of the type of vaccine, the immune response is indeed much the same and will be affected by the same factors, the researchers point out. According to their analysis, a poor night’s sleep the day before vaccination could cause the vaccine against COVID-19 to lose up to two months of effectiveness.
The importance of deep sleep
It is during the deep sleep phase that the body regenerates on a cellular level. The third part of the sleep cycle is the most important to consolidate the immune defenses.
To be able to enjoy the benefits of deep sleep, you must sleep long hours without interruption, 7 to 8 hours according to the current scientific consensus.
Sleeping less than 6 hours repeatedly is associated with in addition to reduced immunity: increased blood pressure, mood swings, depression, low libido and increased risk of stroke, heart problems, dementia, diabetes and certain cancers.
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