Correlation between Vaccine Efficacy and our Body’s Circadian Cycle

 Hi! My name is Parnit Cheema, and I am a second year with an intended Public Health major. This is my second year and third semester in BPSHI, as well as my second year as an intern for the External Community Outreach committee. I want to speak on the correlation between vaccine efficacy and our body’s circadian cycle, because sleep can have a major impact on the effectiveness of one’s vaccination.

 Many studies show that the time that one receives their vaccine (COVID or otherwise) and the sleep one gets on a nightly basis severely impacts the overall effectiveness of the vaccine and prevention of future breakthrough infections. A study published in a sleep journal in August showcased that people who had insufficient sleep are more likely to experience less protection from vaccines. Interestingly, sleep length impacts a vaccine’s efficacy more than sleep quality, so make sure you get those 8 hours!

 An emerging discourse around vaccines is the question of which time is the best to get vaccinated. Although this topic is still gathering concrete evidence, many researchers believe the best time to get vaccinated is from the early morning to the late afternoon. This is because people vaccinated during this time frame showed much fewer breakthrough infections in comparison to people vaccinated during other times.

The correlation between vaccination time and vaccine effectiveness is also connected to our body’s biological clock, the circadian rhythm which plays a huge role in the day-night functions within our body including the immune system. Many researchers believe getting vaccinated earlier allows your body to create more antibodies through the day which increases the vaccine’s effectiveness.

Overall, sleep and our body’s circadian rhythm plays a huge role in building and strengthening our body’s immunity. Although, no one can say with certainty which time is the best to get vaccinated; we can say that getting a good night of sleep significantly improves vaccine effectiveness and your body’s immunity. So, make sure to get your 8 hours before getting vaccinated!