3 things to make your flu vaccine even more effective



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Flu season is approaching and staying healthy is even more crucial this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Doctors recommend that you get your annual flu shot sooner rather than later, and warn of a “twindemic” of two respiratory diseases affecting the medical system at the same time.

While there is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet, there is one for the flu. And experts say there are several ways to make sure the flu vaccine is effective.

Get enough sleep

To help make the flu vaccine as effective as possible, it all starts with a good night’s sleep. A study in the International journal of behavioral medicine revealed that insufficient sleep before receiving the flu vaccine can result in the vaccine being only half as effective. While you sleep, your body recovers and strengthens your immune system. But this research found that people who slept less had fewer antibodies to the flu. Less sleep, more vulnerable immune system. Getting seven to ten hours of sleep the night before vaccination, or even the entire week before, can be vital for the flu shot to work.

Get a flu shot in the morning

Getting the flu shot in the morning may be more helpful in staying healthy. Studies show that those who get vaccinated against influenza between 9 and 11 in the morning develop twice as many antibodies as those who get vaccinated later that day.

But while the time of day is important, the time of year is definitely worth taking note of as well. According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionYou should aim to get a flu shot by the end of October. Doctors say it takes about two weeks after getting the flu shot for the body to develop the antibodies needed to fight the virus. But if you don’t get it by then, don’t skip it! If the flu virus is still spreading, vaccines will be available until January or even later.

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Be consistent with your workouts

Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. We all know that staying fit and maintaining a healthy weight is beneficial when it comes to reducing the risks of many diseases, including the flu. But a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society in fact, it found that “regular resistance exercise improves the response to the flu vaccine.” The people who did cardio in this study were better protected throughout the flu season than people who only did flexibility training. Start or continue cardio here.

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