How Stress Affects Your Immune System

You probably knew that stress has been linked to heart problems and other health issues. But did you know that it can affect immunity as well?

That’s because the immune system is linked to the brain through your hormones, which means that stress can have an impact on immune response. One study has even located specific parts of the brain that regulate immunity.†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

No one can avoid stress. But you can learn ways to counteract it, helping to both ease your mind and reduce your immune system’s workload.

The Fight-or-Flight Response

The way our bodies react to stress is called the “fight-or-flight” response, which developed to keep our ancient ancestors safe.

Is a wildcat ready to pounce on you? Glands start churning out hormones that make the heart beat faster while increasing respiration rate and blood sugar; the idea is to maximize bodily performance so you can either fend off the animal or run away from it.

For short-term threats, this system works really well. After you’ve avoided the predator (or the car swerving into your lane), your body resets to normal.

Nowadays, however, a lot of stress is constant. Think about it: Just how many texts and emailsdo you get in the course of a week?

Problem is, your body can’t tell the difference between sources of life-threatening, short-term stress—that swerving car, for example—and the chronic, low-level kind. As a result, the system never gets a chance to reset.

The Links Between Stress Response and Immunity

Cortisol is one of the key hormones produced when you experience stress. Higher cortisol levels have been associated with more frequent upper respiratory infections—a sign that the immune system is struggling to do its job.†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

Researchers believe there are several reasons why this happens.

For one thing, stress can directly reduce your ability to fight off invading microbes. “The association between psychological stress and susceptibility to the common cold has long been recognized,” says a study team at University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland.†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

“Stress decreases the body’slymphocytes, the white blood cells that help fight off infection,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “The lower your lymphocyte level, the more at risk you are from viruses.”†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

How your body responds to vaccinations can be affected by stress. In one study, fewer stressed people showed “adequate antibody responses” to vaccination when compared with people who weren’t stressed.†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

In addition, chronic stress appears to provoke an abnormal immune response, hindering your body’s ability to keep itself in balance. For instance, researchers have seen this type of disordered immune function in people who have recently lost a loved one.†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

Finally, stress can affect the lifestyle choices you make, which also affects the immune system. That includes such factors as how much and what you eat, whether or not you exercise and whether or not you smoke or drink excessively. 

Ways to Manage Stress

Fortunately, there are ways to help your body find the stress off-switch.

Exercise. The Zurich study team notes that exercise has been shown “to enhance immune responses when performed regularly and in moderation.”†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner. (For more information, go here.) That includes walking in natural settings; “research shows that a 90-minute walk outdoors can reduce activity in the brain linked to repetitive negative thoughts,” says the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMM).

Yoga. According to the Cleveland Clinic, practicing yoga “lowers stress hormone levels and calms your nervous system. Inverted poses help circulate fluid through your lymphatic system, filtering out toxins.”†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner. (You can find a yoga sequence designed for stress relief here.)

Meditation. The Cleveland Clinic also recommends mediation, noting that a regular practice of 10 to 15 minutes a day three to four times a week “reduces your cortisol levels.”†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner. (You can find a quick introduction to meditation here.)

Relationships. Isolation can be stressful, so reach out to others. “Your social support system can help you cope with life problems by improving your self-esteem,” says the UMMM.

Redirection. The UMMM suggests that you “choose to look at stressful situations in a positive light. Replace negative thoughts, such as ‘Nothing is going how I planned,’ with positive thoughts, such as ‘It’s fine that things went differently than planned. I can handle it.’”

Singing. Can’t carry a tune? Doesn’t matter: “Some studies have linked singing and listening to music to lower levels of cortisol and decreased feelings of stress,” according to the UMMM.†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

†The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described. The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.The information provided is not an endorsement of any product, and is intended for educational purposes only. NaturesPlus does not provide medical advice and does not offer diagnosis of any conditions. Current research on this topic is not conclusive and further research may be needed in order to prove the benefits described.

The conditions and symptoms described may be indicative of serious health problems, and therefore should be brought to the attention of a qualified healthcare practitioner.