Two Mental Health Practices May Boost Covid-19 Vaccine

Deployment of Covid-19 vaccination In progress at Request It exceeds availability. With millions of vaccines lined up, experts will give you advice to consider while waiting. mental health..

Recent preprints (not peer reviewed) Report, Researchers have stress, depression, loneliness, and poor health behavior Of the immune system Response to the vaccine. It has been suggested that reduced mental health may be a risk factor for delayed immune response to the vaccine and may shorten the duration of immunity.

This claim has not been tested in individuals vaccinated with Covid-19, but is based on a 30-year study documenting the effects of psychological factors on the vaccine response of the immune system. Preprint is Psychological outlook.

First author Janice Keelt-Glass He is the director of the Institute of Behavioral Medicine, Ohio State University School of Medicine.She tells Reverse Previous studies, including how studies were conducted Stress changes the body’s reaction Regarding the hepatitis B vaccine, the coronavirus also suggests that “people with strong stress and anxiety may take longer to respond to the vaccine.”

This does not mean that people are not protected from Covid-19 vaccine ――They will be.Instead, it’s about protecting your mental health with effort Maximize the effectiveness of the vaccine.. Individuals take concrete and meaningful measures, The immune system is working at its best performance Before vaccination.

Mental health and immunity — After vaccination, the body initiates a natural general immune response to potential biological threats. Part of this reaction involves the production of antibodies, Antibody production Shows how effectively the vaccine protects you over time.

Mental health may be poor Impact Explain the body’s immune response Full Bio Dakuist, Professor of Immunology and University of Roehampton. He was not involved in the new report.his work The cellular composition of our immune system suggests that we respond to “all positive and negative emotional and emotional experiences,” such as laughing, crying, and falling in love.

“I’m going to get My vaccine next week And I’m going to do both of them. ”

However, although this link seems to be between the mind and the immune system, scientists are still in the early stages of cognition. why It can play a role in the immune system’s response to the vaccine.

Potential explanation explains Annelies Madison, Changes in neuroendocrine associated with chronic stress and depression. Madison has a PhD. He is a candidate for Ohio State University School of Medicine and co-author of the report. Neuroendocrine Describes cells that release hormones in response to stimuli in the nervous system.

Karil Alves Delima, Postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington. the study How the immune system affected the mind and body and was not part of the report added that in the last decade, some “beautiful studies” have shown interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system. I am.He says Reverse It is no exaggeration to say that poor mental health can adversely affect the body’s response to vaccines.

“Relieving extra anxiety and stress is more important than ever during this extraordinary time we are all experiencing,” says Alves Delima. “Not only does it help maintain our mental health, but it also ensures the additional boost needed for our immune system to initiate the best possible response to defeat Covid-19. Will be provided to. ”

Studies show that stress, depression, lack of social support, sedentary tendency, poor diet, and lack of sleep can “independently and synergistically promote the suboptimal immune response to the vaccine.” Reverse.. She says that poor mental health is one factor associated with a weakened immune response.

“As you can imagine, these risk factors can start to compound and interact,” says Madison. “For example, people with severe depression tend to sit down, eat foods high in fat and sugar, and may move away from social circles. All of these can interfere with immune function.”

Mental health and vaccine efficacy — Madison explains that the risk of the Covid-19 vaccine not working is low.Effective rates of both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are about 95 percent..But Effectiveness Is a performance measure in a controlled situation, but its effectiveness is seen in real-world conditions.

Vaccine may prove effective A little low — This is normal, expected, and don’t worry.

“Individuals need to be aware that mental and physical health can affect the side effect profile, the time it takes to develop immunity, and the duration of immunity,” says Madison.

Further research is needed to confirm this in the recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine. In the meantime, history can provide some insights.Keycolt-of the glass 1992 study With hepatitis B vaccine, jabs 90 percent Although effective against illness, “students who were more stressed and anxious took considerably longer to develop a protective antibody response.”

It is also a question of how long the immune response lasts.so Evaluation Among individuals vaccinated with pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine, published by Kiecolt-Glaser et al. In 2000, groups classified as both spouse caregivers and non-caregivers were found to respond first and equally to the vaccine. I did. However, after 6 months, the non-caregiver maintained the level of antibody protection, but the caregiver’s antibody decreased.

What you can do — Madison admits that minimizing stress during a pandemic is a difficult question. “The important consideration is that these risk factors for the suboptimal vaccine response are, ironically, more prevalent during the pandemic than before the pandemic,” she says.

And as a professor of immunology, Dakist says that people experiencing mental health problems There is no risk that the vaccine will not work..

“What this study really says is that vaccination is not a” passive “experience for the recipient,” says Dakist.

In other words, there are viable steps you can take to have a positive impact on your mental health and thus your immune response. The report claims that even relatively modest changes can help. These include:

• Get a good night’s sleep before and after vaccination
• Intense exercise within 24 hours before the shot

“I’m going to get the vaccine next week, and I’ll do both,” says Keycoltgrass.