For mostof us,stressis just apart of life. It can last for a few hours like the time leading up to a final exam or for years like when youre taking care of an ailing loved one.

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Stress is sometimesa motivator that helpsyou rise to the occasion. At other times, its simply overwhelming. Whatever the case, if its chronic, it can takea toll on your immune system.

Clinical immunologistLeonard Calabrese, DO, offers insights on how stress impacts your immunity and what you can do to minimize the effect.

Eliminating or modifying these factors in ones life is vital to protect and augment the immune response, he says. Its necessary to buffer the inevitability of the aging process.

Stress occurs when life events surpass your abilities to cope. It causes your body to produce greater levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

In short spurts, cortisolcan boost your immunity by limitinginflammation. But over time, your body can get used to having too much cortisol in your blood. And this opensthe door for more inflammation, Dr. Calabrese says.

In addition, stress decreases the bodys lymphocytes the white blood cells that help fight off infection. The lower your lymphocyte level, the more at risk you are for viruses, including the common cold and cold sores.

High stress levels also can causedepressionand anxiety, again leading to higher levels of inflammation.In the long-term, sustained, high levels of inflammation point to an overworked, over-tired immune system that cant properly protect you.

If you dont control high stress levels, chronic inflammation can accompany it and can contribute to the development and progression of many diseases of the immune system such as:

Under sustained, long-term stress, you also can develop cardiovascular problems, including a fast heart rate andheart disease, as well as gastric ulcers. Youll also be at greater risk fortype 2 diabetes, various cancers and mental decline.

Stress reduction strategies not only give your mind a break, but they can also relieve the pressure on your immune system. You can take steps to reduce short-term and long-term stress, Dr. Calabrese says. Two tactics are most effective:

Stress in acute situations, however, can be healthful and protective, so its not all bad for us. Remember: its chronic stress that we seek to control.

Continued here:
What Happens When Your Immune System Gets Stressed Out? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic (blog)

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