HEALTH experts say getting a flu shot this year is more important than it’s ever been, with the coronavirus pandemic still running rampant. According to them, you need to make sure you get good sleep right before you get a flu shot to increase its effectiveness. Poor sleep the week before getting a flu shot can possibly render it ineffective, Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist and the best-selling author of “Why We Sleep,” told CNN. That’s because insufficient sleep can lead to the production of less than 50 percent of the normal antibody response, he explained. According to Walker, two major studies speak to this point. A notable 2002 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a clear decrease in response to the flu vaccine for those who had reduced sleep for four days before getting vaccinated, compared to those who had unrestricted sleep right before. And a recent 2020 study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that “sleep on nights prior to vaccination are critical,” as shorter sleep duration two days before vaccination led to fewer antibodies in the months after. Sleep plays a vital role in our immune system — strengthening it as we rest. (SD-Agencies) | 