There has been no shortage of talk about immune systems over the past year, huh? But this time, we’re not focusing on masks, social distancing, vaccines, or anything along those lines. This time we are talking about how stress and anxiety negatively affect our immune system.
All across the globe, people have been dealing with heightened levels of both. As a result, a paradox has been unleashed. In an effort to protect your immune system, you are subjected to an endless supply of negative input. The negativity triggers your anxiety and stress.
Your anxiety and stress, in turn, cause decreased functioning of your immune system.
5 Ways Stress and Anxiety Affect the Immune System
High levels of stress and anxiety have been linked to several physical health issues, e.g.
- Infections like the flu
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Headaches
- Cardiovascular disease
- Gastric ulcers
Here are five (of many) reasons why your immune system does not like stress or anxiety:
1. White Blood Cells
Your white blood cells are a big part of your immune defenses. There are necessary to fight off infections, etc. In times of stress, your white blood cell function can be suppressed. Obviously, this makes you more susceptible to illnesses — both acute and chronic.
2. Stress Hormones
When anxiety is too high, your body produces a stress hormone called cortisol. This can be helpful in small doses. Ongoing anxiety, however, leads to too much cortisol.
Too much cortisol has been proven to reduce immune function. Your body gets stuck in perpetual “fight or flight” mode. You are left vulnerable to illnesses with no real relief from the stress.
3. Unhealthy Coping Choices
Speaking more abstractly, this is about behavioral cause-and-effect. When you are overwhelmed by anxiety, you make not make the wisest choices. It is not uncommon to engage in “self-medication” in the form of alcohol or substance misuse.
In addition, you may choose to overeat or indulge in unhealthy “comfort” foods. These kinds of unhealthy coping mechanisms will hamper your immune function.
4. Sleep Disturbances
When life is stressful, restful, sufficient sleep can be hard to get. However, regular sleep patterns are an important part of maintaining your immune system.
Anxiety causes a lack of sleep. Lack of sleep increases feelings of stress and could lead to physical illness. The physical illness increases anxiety and decreases the quality of your sleep. Around and around you go.
5. Digestive Issues
Everyone knows that feeling of your stomach churning when you feel anxious. Beneath the surface, however, digestive issues can cause your body to lose some of its immune efficiency.
For example, you may not be able to fully absorb the nutrients in the food you eat. Over time, you will encounter deficiencies that hamper your ability to fight off diseases. Until your anxiety is addressed, this cycle may continue.
5 Basic Ways to Cope With Stress and Anxiety
To directly counter much of the above, it is crucial to create and maintain a daily self-care regimen. Such a program should include elements like:
- Regular sleep patterns
- Healthy eating choices
- Daily exercise and activity
- Relaxation techniques
- Social-solitude balance
Sometimes You Need Guidance
As touched on above, there are some tricky cycles that can kick into action here. Until you get to the root of the problem, you may struggle with managing the many moving parts. Working with a skilled therapist is a proven path toward identifying that root cause. From there, the two of you will work together to explore and evaluate.
Your weekly sessions will help you discover new approaches as you move toward recovery. Reminder: You can heal both your mind and your body.