At the end of the six days, everyone was given a flu shot. In the days afterward, researchers took blood samples to determine how effective these individuals were in generating an antibody response, determining whether or not the vaccination was a success. Those participants who obtained seven to nine hours’ sleep in the week before getting the flu shot generated a powerful antibody reaction, reflecting a robust, healthy immune system. In contrast, those in the sleep-restricted group mustered a paltry response, producing less than 50 percent of the immune reaction their well-slept counterparts
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