good sleep seems to boost the effectiveness of vaccines

According to a study published in Current biology, the quality of sleep at the time of the injection seems to matter too. Based on a synthesis of the existing scientific literature, these researchers have indeed established a statistical link between nights of sleep of less than six hours, the day before or the day after the injection, and a lower production of antibodies in vaccinated patients.

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The vaccinations studied here were: that of influenza and hepatitis A and B. All the mechanisms are not yet understood, but there is a link that takes place during the sleep phase between the production and the reactivation of certain immune defenses ( such as white blood cells, lymphocytes or certain proteins). This is why disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle can affect our immunity.

The example of the common cold

Moreover, in the past, other studies have already shown a statistical link between, for example, lack of sleep and the risk of catching a cold: a few years ago, 160 American volunteers agreed to be exposed to the cold virus. , through nasal drop. The results showed that those who had slept less than six hours a night, in the week preceding exposure to the virus, were four times more likely to develop symptoms, while those who slept more than seven hours resisted much better.

More recently, another study conducted during the health crisis showed that people under the age of 50 in good health, but in social jet lag (therefore with a very different sleep pattern during the week and at weekends) were a fewer more likely to contract Covid.

But it’s not just the number of hours of sleep that counts: there’s also regularity. The ideal sleep time for health is seven hours, 7 days a week and also if possible with an alarm clock that rings almost always at the same time, recalls Professor Pierre Philip, sleep specialist at the Bordeaux University Hospital. Ideally, you shouldn’t spend more than one hour sleeping late on the weekend. This is advice for anyone who gets regular and sufficient sleep on weekdays. It is more complicated to apply for the 25% of French adults who work staggered or atypical hours.