Chronic sleep deprivation diminishes how well vaccines like those for hepatitis and influenza work. This finding is highlighted by a report from TASS referencing research from the University of Chicago.
The COVID-19 period pushed clinicians to examine what factors shape vaccine effectiveness. It appears that lifestyle patterns can influence response: RNA-based vaccines may show reduced impact in individuals who smoke or carry excess weight.
Researchers led by Karina Spiegel set out to understand the link between sleep quality and immune function. They examined nearly two dozen prior studies on hepatitis and flu vaccines. Their synthesis showed that persistent sleep loss, defined as fewer than six hours per night, correlated with lower average antibody levels across vaccinated volunteers in every vaccine examined for flu and hepatitis.
Moreover, the duration of antibody presence after vaccination shortened by roughly two months on average. This decline tended to be more pronounced in men, where the reduction in protective antibody levels remained about twice as strong. Experts still seek a clear explanation for why sleep deficits might affect men and women differently in this context.
Additionally, a compound once studied for obesity showed notable results in mouse experiments, suggesting potential avenues for future research into metabolic and immune interactions.