It’s impossible to avoid stress, which is pervasive in life. In small doses, stress can be beneficial by motivating us to achieve goals and complete necessary tasks. On the other hand, intense stress can make us feel like we are losing all our means and even being ill, given the significant detrimental effects of stress on immune function. Come to think of it, it rarely happens that you feel great and stressed out at the same time, right? In fact, stress on the body and mind can weaken your immune system. Your body then works at full speed to provide the energy it needs to fight stressors, which weakens the strength of your immunity. As rudimentary as this explanation is, it is a good starting point to take a closer look at the effects of stress on immune function. Understanding the body's response to stressors will help better understand the link between stress and immunity. Then all you need to do is learn how to improve your stress response to feel great even during tough times. The language of stress By knowing the terminology specific to stress, we can better understand the body’s natural responses. Here are some basic terms: Stressor, or stressor: Any stimulus that causes stress. There are two types of stressors: physical and psychological. A physical stressor acts on the body, while a psychological stressor acts on the mind. Hypothalamus: An important command center in the brain. Slightly larger than a dime and located in the middle of the brain, it controls pituitary gland activity and regulates hunger, thirst, sleep, body temperature and a host of emotions. Pituitary gland: The master gland responsible for releasing most hormones in the body. Adrenal glands: Triangular glands located above the kidneys that release cortisol. Cortisol: The main hormone released into the blood in response to stress. How the body copes with stress Your body has a built-in response protocol that kicks in whenever stress arises. This process begins as soon as a stressor puts pressure on the mind or body. The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that recognizes stress. As soon as it detects a stressor, it sends a message through neurons to a nearby area of ​​the brain called the pituitary gland. This registers the signals received from the hypothalamus and then signals the adrenal glands (above the kidneys) to increase the amount of stress hormones circulating in the blood. These are the basics of the body's natural response to stress. To better understand them and establish the link between stress and immune function, let's take a closer look at the main stress hormone: cortisol. This important hormone works by boosting your energy levels during times of stress. The effects of cortisol are temporary and as soon as the stress wears off, the energy boost it provides ceases. By reducing non-essential body activities, cortisol also helps manage stress. At the same time, it unfortunately pauses part of the immune function. Cortisol thus tries to conserve energy in the presence of stress, but the stressful period opens the door to germs. The effects of stress on immune function In the presence of a short-lived stressor - for example, being late for a date or participating in a triathlon - the action of cortisol is temporary and its effects on immunity are negligible. On the other hand, if the stress lasts for several days or weeks, a higher level of cortisol can have more harmful effects. High cortisol levels suppress your immune system by reducing the production of white blood cells. Because the latter no longer chase germs, the response to infection is much slower. If your cortisol levels stay high for a long time, you become more vulnerable to certain illnesses that you would not have caught otherwise. This explains why you are prone to colds after a long period of intense stress. Students preparing for their end-of-year exams are a good example. Indeed, many of them find themselves cold in the days following the end of the course. Here's what's going on: A stressor (the exam) triggers their body's stress response. While they study, cortisol levels go up and stay up for a longer period of time, maybe even a few weeks. During this time of stress, their immune system is suppressed to allow the brain to channel the greatest amount of energy available to combat the stress caused by an end-of-year exam. Such poor functioning allows germs to easily infiltrate healthy tissue and lead to illnesses like the common cold. Symptoms are felt to be part of the immune response and appear after the test is passed. Of course, the end-of-year exams are far from the only long-term stressor. A move to a new city, the birth of a child, a change of job and other hardships are all common long-term stressors. Since persistent stress increases cortisol levels and suppresses immunity, germs can wreak havoc on a weakened immune system during times of intense stress. Reduce your stress for the benefit of your immunity To lower your cortisol levels and protect your immune system, you need to learn how to manage stress. There is no shortage of activities to try to help relieve stress, and which are also beneficial for your overall health. Meditation is one of the most effective stress management strategies. A few minutes a day of meditative concentration can significantly lower blood cortisol levels and give you a sense of calm and serenity. Meditation can also be beneficial for your immunity. In one study, researchers found that people who practiced meditation every day developed more antibodies to the flu than others who did not. Bottom line: isolate yourself for a few minutes each from the busy world around you, taking care to turn to meditation when you feel stressed. Exercise is also a proven way to reduce stress. You probably already know the many benefits the body experiences with moving every day, and now you can add stress relief to it. (Read this article for more ways to deal with stress.) If none of these strategies work, it might be a good idea to see a mental health professional. Just talking to a counselor or social worker in a therapeutic setting can help you deal with the stressors in your life and find effective ways to deal with them. No matter how you manage stress, now is the time to equip yourself to protect your body - and your immune health - from the damaging effects of stress. Source and references: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-when-your-immune-system-gets-stressed-out/ https://www.apa.org/research/action/immune https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4465119/ https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/10-immune-system-busters-boosters#2 https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-cortisol#1 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037