Amount of Sleep May Influence Vaccine Effectivity, Study Says

Vaccine immune response is directly tied to the amount of sleep, a new study has found.

According to a study from the University of California-San Francisco, sleeping for at least six hours a day is needed for vaccines to be effective so the amount of sleep may influence vaccine effectivity.

For the study, researchers measured the antibody response to hepatitis B vaccinations of 55 men and 75 women between 40 and 60 years old. All subjects were relatively healthy, non-smokers, and residents of Pennsylvania.

The standard three-dose vitamin B vaccine was administered to each participant. The first two doses were given one month apart, followed by a booster dose six months after the first dose.

To minimize factors that could affect the outcome, the study was conducted at home instead of a controlled lab. Researchers determined whether the duration, quality, and efficiency of sleep can influence the immune processes necessary in the body’s response to infection.

Researchers measured antibody levels three times–before the second and third vaccine injections and six months after the booster dose to find out how well the participants developed an immune response.

Participants were given sleep diaries to record details about their bedtime, wake time, and sleep quality. Electronic sleep monitors known as actigraphs were also given to 88 subjects.

The study, published in the journal Sleep, found that those who had less than six hours of average sleep per night were less likely to respond to the vaccine compared to those who slept more than seven hours on average. Specifically, they are 11.5 times more likely to be unprotected by the vaccine.

“With the emergence of our 24-hour lifestyle, longer working hours, and the rise in the use of technology, chronic sleep deprivation has become a way of life for many Americans,” said lead author Aric Prather, a clinical health psychologist at the University of California-San Francisco.

The quality of sleep has no effect on the response to vaccination. Altogether, eighteen participants did not develop adequate protection from the vaccine.

Sleep plays a more critical role in our health than we often realize, and the study’s findings highlight that. Ensuring you get enough rest is essential, but it’s also wise to have a health insurance plan that covers you in case things don’t go as planned. Being prepared with both good sleep habits and proper coverage can make a difference in how you handle your health.