Association between sleep duration and antibody acquisition after mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2

Front Immunol. 2023 Dec 11:14:1242302. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1242302. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep enhances the antibody response to vaccination, but the relationship between sleep and mRNA vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not fully understood.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, we investigated the influence of sleep habits on immune acquisition induced by mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in 48 healthy adults (BNT-162b2, n=34; mRNA-1273, n=14; female, n=30, 62.5%; male, n=18, 37.5%; median age, 39.5 years; interquartile range, 33.0-44.0 years) from June 2021 to January 2022. The study measured sleep duration using actigraphy and sleep diaries, which covered the periods of the initial and booster vaccinations.

Results: Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that actigraphy-measured objective sleep duration 3 and 7 days after the booster vaccination was independently and significantly correlated with higher antibody titers (B=0.003; 95% confidence interval, 0.000-0.005; Beta=0.337; p=0.02), even after controlling for covariates, including age, sex, the type of vaccine, and reactogenicity to the vaccination. Associations between acquired antibody titer and average objective sleep duration before vaccination, and any period of subjective sleep duration measured by sleep diary were negligible.

Discussion: Longer objective, but not subjective, sleep duration after booster vaccination enhances antibody response. Hence, encouraging citizens to sleep longer after mRNA vaccination, especially after a booster dose, may increase protection against SARS-CoV-2.

Study registration: This study is registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Center (UMIN: https://www.umin.ac.jp) on July 30, 2021, #UMIN000045009.

Keywords: BNT-162b2; antibody titer; longer objective sleep duration; mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine; mRNA-1273; sleep and immunity.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antibody Formation
  • COVID-19 Vaccines* / immunology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Male
  • Sleep Duration*
  • Vaccination
  • mRNA Vaccines / immunology

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • mRNA Vaccines

Supplementary concepts

  • COVID-19 vaccine booster shot

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI (grant numbers 19K08016 and 22K15758) and Intramural Research Grant (2–1) for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders of the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry supported this work. The funder had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.