Getting
a good night’s sleep can boost your immune response, according
to a study of people who received a hepatitis A vaccination.
Participants who got plenty of sleep after being vaccinated
had a stronger immune response to the vaccine.
This suggests that a person who is well-rested would also
be likely to have a stronger immune response to other viruses
than someone who has not gotten enough sleep.
One month after receiving the vaccine, the participants who
got enough sleep had almost double the amount of antibodies
(a marker of immune response) as the sleep-deprived group.
Researchers suggest that the release of certain hormones during
sleep may boost the immune system.
Yahoo
News October 28, 2003