"The Impact of Chronic Stress on Immunity and Overall Health"
Chronic stress causes cells to release inflammatory substances to help white blood cells. However, cortisol, a stress hormone, ends up suppressing their function instead. This weakens the immune system and makes it easier for infections to take hold.
How Our Body Handles Stress
Our body is naturally designed to handle short-term stress. It helps us deal with challenges and move forward, even if the stress doesn’t go away immediately. Over time, our body adjusts to stress and learns to cope with it.
But when stress keeps coming without a break, it becomes harder to handle. This can develop into chronic stress, where the body is stuck in a constant stress-response mode.
What Happens During Chronic Stress
When chronic stress sets in, the body activates two main systems:
1. Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)
Causes cells, like fat cells, to release more inflammatory substances.
Pushes white blood cells out of the bone marrow faster, which leads to more inflammation.
Slowly changes gut bacteria, increasing types that produce substances like LPS (lipopolysaccharides), which trigger even more inflammation.
2. Cortisol (Stress Hormone)
In people with chronic stress, the brain becomes resistant to cortisol’s calming effects. This makes the cortisol system (HPA axis) overactive, leading to:
Reduced production of antibodies by B cells, making it harder to fight infections.
Weakening T cells, which reduces coordination in the immune system.
Suppressed activity of NK cells (natural killer cells), which normally fight viruses and certain bacteria.
T cells and NK cells are especially important for controlling infections like viruses and tuberculosis.
When Stress Turns into Mental Health Problems
If chronic stress leads to conditions like depression, cortisol levels and inflammation rise even higher. This further weakens the immune system and increases inflammation in the body.
Effects of Chronic Stress
Chronic stress causes low-level inflammation all the time, increasing the risk of long-term diseases. This risk is even higher for people who are overweight or have other health conditions.
It lowers immunity, making it easier to get infections like:
Common colds (you might catch them more often).
Shingles, which often flares up during stressful periods.
Skin problems like seborrheic dermatitis (red, flaky skin) caused by an overgrowth of certain fungi due to weaker immune control.
Although the effects aren’t as severe as in conditions like diabetes or AIDS, chronic stress still weakens immunity. Some people may notice they get sick more often, while others might not feel much difference.
Managing stress is important to protect your health and keep your immune system strong!