How Stress Impacts the Immune System

Stress is a common reaction of our bodies. It's a physiological response to our environment when we sense a potential threat. While it serves an important purpose, it can become excessive and negatively impact our lives.

You may know that chronic stress is unhealthy, and you may be aware that it affects your immune system. However, you might not be familiar with the details of why stress poses problems for your immune response. In this article, we will discuss the importance of managing stress for your immune system's sake, how stress affects your body's ability to combat inflammation, infection, and disease, and steps you can take to reduce your stress levels.

Acute vs. Chronic Stress

There are numerous types of stress, but for simplicity, we will focus on the two most commonly encountered types.

Acute Stress

• Acute stress is short-term stress.
• It refers to momentary occurrences that trigger the "stress response," which involves the release of stress hormones like cortisol to prepare us for survival.
• During acute stress, your heart rate and breathing may increase, and your blood pressure may elevate.
• Acute stress is typically experienced as a fight-or-flight response.
• Blood is diverted to the muscles, enhancing our ability to fight or flee if necessary.
• Acute stress is essential for survival, and it does not harm immunity or long-term health, provided that stress levels return to normal after a minor emergency.

Chronic Stress

• Chronic stress is what affects immunity.
• It occurs when the body remains in fight-or-flight mode for prolonged periods.
• This doesn't mean you feel stressed all the time; it simply means you experience stress frequently enough that your body does not have adequate time to recover before the next stressful event.
• Chronic stress can be triggered by various factors, ranging from job dissatisfaction to relationship problems to excessive daily traffic.
• It affects both mind and body due to the overproduction of cortisol and other stress hormones, leading to an imbalance of "feel-good" chemicals.

Stress and Digestion

• Stress impairs digestion.
• During stress, blood is diverted to the muscles, which reduces blood flow to the gut, where food is digested.
• As a result, eating under stress leads to poor digestion and nutrient absorption.
• Chronic stress can result in nutrient deficiencies, even among individuals with a healthy diet.
• The lack of essential nutrients weakens the body's ability to fight off illness.

Stress and Inflammation

• Chronic inflammation is a major cause of illness, and stress contributes to inflammation.
• A study revealed that "75%–90% of human diseases are related to the activation of the stress system."
• Chronic stress directly leads to systemic inflammation, where the body essentially attacks itself.
• This process makes it more difficult for the body to ward off illness.

Stress and Infection

• Long-term stress increases the risk of life-threatening infections.
• Studies have shown that stress plays a role in almost every case of life-threatening infection, with one study concluding that "stress-related disorders were associated with all studied life-threatening infections."
• Even though stress leads the body to attack itself, it may not specifically target an infection effectively.

Stress and Disease

• Stress can directly lead to disease.
• It suppresses T cells, which are responsible for fighting off illness, impairing the overall immune system's ability to function properly.
• Stress increases the risk of diabetes, worsens asthma, and raises the likelihood of developing ulcerative colitis, among other serious conditions.
• It can also contribute to plaque buildup in arteries, leading to heart attacks, and aggravate psychiatric conditions.

Stress and Illness Recovery

• Stress not only causes illness but also hinders recovery.
• Stress is directly linked to worse outcomes in wound healing, and it can actually delay healing, with studies showing that it significantly prolongs the healing process.
• This means that stress can both cause illness and make it more challenging to recover from illness.

Self-Care Strategies

• Exercise: Physical activity can help alleviate various mental health issues, such as anxiety, and it can help prevent mental health problems from developing altogether. Exercise stimulates the production of "feel-good" chemicals, which counteract stress hormones.
• Nutrition: Unhealthy foods may seem to reduce stress temporarily because they are enjoyable and can release serotonin. However, in the long run, most unhealthy foods can contribute to inflammation, potentially leading to illness. On the other hand, consuming a diet rich in healthy foods provides the body with the essential nutrients to combat stress. Certain nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in wild fish, help the body fight stress.
• Practice mindfulness: mindfulness can be effective in reducing stress levels. By focusing on the present moment, you can help yourself relax and diffuse stressful situations. And by spending less time worrying about the future or dwelling on uncontrollable situations, you can reduce conceptual stress. Starting the practice of mindfulness is as simple as learning how to pay attention to yourself and your immediate surroundings.
• Breathwork: Breathwork is a technique with proven health benefits that can benefit people of all ages. The simple act of slowing down our breath slows down our nervous system and heart, enabling our body to function better overall. There are various types of breathwork, but you can begin by focusing on your breathing and slowing it down to reap stress-related benefits.
• Therapy: Therapy can be helpful for managing stress in several ways. It provides an outlet to discuss stress with a professional and equips you with additional coping mechanisms. Numerous specific types of therapy can be beneficial for stress management, ranging from EMDR to hypnotherapy. Having a professional to talk to about your stress triggers and coping strategies can be valuable.