How Stress Affects the Immune System | Psychology Today Singapore

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hreflang="en-sg">Stress</a> </h6> <h1 class="blog-entry__title--full"> How Stress Affects the Immune System </h1> <h2 class="blog-entry__subtitle--full"> Using mind-body therapies to keep stress from making us sick. </h2> <p class="blog-entry__date--full fine-print"> Posted <span class="blog_entry--date">November 12, 2014</span> <span class="blog_entry--full__review-info"> <span class="blog_entry--full__review-info-bar">|</span> <a href="/sg/docs/editorial-process" class="blog_entry--full__review-info-link"> <span class="blog_entry--full__review-info-icon"></span> <span class="blog_entry--full__review-info-text">Reviewed by Jessica Schrader</span> </a> </span> </p> <div class="pt-social-media blog-entry-divider"> <ul class="share-buttons"> <li> <a title="Share on Facebook" class="facebook-share-button open-dialog" target="_blank" data-lang="en" 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href="mailto:?subject=Psychology%20Today%3A%20How%20Stress%20Affects%20the%20Immune%20System&body=Hi%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20thought%20you%27d%20be%20interested%20in%20this%20article%20on%20Psychology%20Today%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%20How%20Stress%20Affects%20the%20Immune%20System%0D%0Ahttps%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/how-the-mind-heals-the-body/201411/how-stress-affects-the-immune-system%3Feml%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0AFind%20Counselling%3A%20https%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg&destination=node/164381"> <div><img border="0" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/icons/icon-share-round-email-md.svg" alt="Share via Email" width="37" height="37" /><span class="visually-hidden">Email</span></div> </a> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-entry--body"> <div class="blog-entry--body-first"> <div class="d-none d-xl-block"> <div class="pathways_card" > <div class="pathways_card__header"> <span class="pathways_card__title_verified"></span> <div class="h3 pathways_card__title">THE BASICS</div> </div> <ul> <li class="swatch-primary"> <a href="/sg/basics/stress" class="swatch-primary font-semi-bold" hreflang="en">What Is Stress?</a> </li> <li class="swatch-primary"> <a href="/sg/tests/career/burnout-at-work" class="swatch-primary font-semi-bold" hreflang="en">Take our Burnout Test</a> </li> <li class="swatch-primary"> <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/counselling?category=anxiety" class="swatch-primary font-semi-bold">Find counselling to overcome stress</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="blog-entry--body-second"> <div class="field-name-body"> <p>“Mind over matter” is not simply a catchphrase. It is a truth based on what we know to be fact: that the brain, given the right set of directions, the right environment, and the proper stimuli, will always choose healing over disease.</p> <p>The ability to fend off illness and disease depends on several factors, some of which are beyond our control, but the way we react to <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/basics/stress" title="Psychology Today looks at stress" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-SG">stress</a> and the general health of our immune system are things we can influence. If we’re not able to change our response to stressors, we’ll find ourselves in a constant hormonal battle that will lead to serious health issues like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. The brain and the immune system are in constant communication in this delicate balance that can be disrupted by any kind of physical or emotional stress.</p> <div class="markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-0" data-slot-position="0"></div> <p>Ongoing stress makes us susceptible to illness and disease because the brain sends defense signals to the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/basics/hormones" title="Psychology Today looks at endocrine" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-SG">endocrine</a> system, which then releases an array of hormones that not only gets us ready for emergency situations but severely depresses our immunity at the same time. Some experts claim that stress is responsible for as much as 90% of all illnesses and diseases, including cancer and heart disease. The way it does this is by triggering chemical reactions and flooding the body with cortisol that, among other things, decreases inflammation, decreases white blood cells and NK cells (special cells that kill cancer), increases tumor development and growth, and increases the rate of infection and tissue damage.</p> <div class="markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-1" data-slot-position="1"></div> <p>Because the effects of stress are cumulative, even ordinary, day-to-day activities can eventually lead to more serious health issues. So it’s important to be aware of the simple daily stress in our lives. Some of the mind-body therapies that help reverse that are:</p> <ul><li>Relaxation exercises. The link between the mind and body can be strengthened by specific relaxation exercises such as <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/basics/meditation" title="Psychology Today looks at meditation" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-SG">meditation</a> and guided imagery. By making them a normal part of our lives, they become a buffer that guards against the breakdown of organ systems.</li> <li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/basics/positive-psychology" title="Psychology Today looks at Positive thinking" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-SG">Positive thinking</a>. Evidence shows that people who believe they are doing better actually do better than those who have the same physical condition but aren’t as positive. Research also suggests that <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/basics/anxiety" title="Psychology Today looks at anxiety" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-SG">anxiety</a>, hostility, and other negative states affect the immune system.</li> <li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/basics/habit-formation" title="Psychology Today looks at Behavior modification" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-SG">Behavior modification</a> techniques. Changing how we act can often break habits that trigger stress reactions.</li> <li>Social support. According to researchers, people with strong social support have better overall health and are more resistant to infection and disease.</li> </ul> <div class="markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-2" data-slot-position="2"></div> <p>The relationship between stress and illness is not a simple one, but there is a connection. Because the endocrine and immune systems are so interrelated, disruption to one due to physical or emotional stress typically causes damage to the other. In my book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mind-Body-Health-Healing-Prevent-Disease/dp/1937612732/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415816946&sr=8-2&keywords=goliszek">Mind-Body Health & Healing</a>, I explain how stress <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/basics/leadership" title="Psychology Today looks at management" class="basics-link" hreflang="en-SG">management</a> techniques are an effective way to keep the immune system healthy and functioning the way it’s meant to.</p> <div class="d-xl-none pathways_card" > <div class="pathways_card__header"> <span class="pathways_card__title_verified"></span> <div class="h3 pathways_card__title">THE BASICS</div> </div> <ul> <li class="swatch-primary"> <a href="/sg/basics/stress" class="swatch-primary font-semi-bold" hreflang="en">What Is Stress?</a> </li> <li class="swatch-primary"> <a href="/sg/tests/career/burnout-at-work" class="swatch-primary font-semi-bold" hreflang="en">Take our Burnout Test</a> </li> <li class="swatch-primary"> <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/counselling?category=anxiety" class="swatch-primary font-semi-bold">Find counselling to overcome stress</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="social-links-bottom"> <div class="pt-social-media blog-entry-divider"> <ul class="share-buttons"> <li> <a title="Share on Facebook" class="facebook-share-button open-dialog" target="_blank" data-lang="en" href="https://facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=220580041311284&display=page&href=https%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/how-the-mind-heals-the-body/201411/how-stress-affects-the-immune-system&redirect_uri=https%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/how-the-mind-heals-the-body/201411/how-stress-affects-the-immune-system" onclick="window.open(this.href,'newWindow','toolbar=no,location=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=640,height=480');return false;"> <div><img border="0" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/icons/icon-share-round-facebook-md.svg" alt="Share on Facebook" width="37" height="37" /><span class="visually-hidden">Share</span></div> </a> </li> <li> <a title="Share on Twitter" class="twitter-share-button open-dialog" target="_blank" data-lang="en" href="https://twitter.com/share?text=How%20Stress%20Affects%20the%20Immune%20System%20%7C%20Psychology%20Today&url=https%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/how-the-mind-heals-the-body/201411/how-stress-affects-the-immune-system&related=PsychToday" onclick="window.open(this.href,'newWindow','toolbar=no,location=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=640,height=480');return false;"> <div><img border="0" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/icons/icon-share-round-twitter-md.svg" alt="Share on Twitter" width="37" height="37" /><span class="visually-hidden">Tweet</span></div> </a> </li> <li> <a title="Share on LinkedIn" class="linkedin-share-button open-dialog" target="_blank" data-lang="en" href="https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/how-the-mind-heals-the-body/201411/how-stress-affects-the-immune-system" onclick="window.open(this.href,'newWindow','toolbar=no,location=no,status=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=640,height=480');return false;"> <div><img border="0" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/icons/icon-share-round-linkedin-md.svg" alt="Share on LinkedIn" width="37" height="37" /><span class="visually-hidden">Share</span></div> </a> </li> <li><div class="form-item-type-email js-form-item form-item js-form-type-email form-item- js-form-item- form-no-label"> <a title="Share via Email" class="email-share-button open-dialog" data-lang="en" href="mailto:?subject=Psychology%20Today%3A%20How%20Stress%20Affects%20the%20Immune%20System&body=Hi%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI%20thought%20you%27d%20be%20interested%20in%20this%20article%20on%20Psychology%20Today%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%20How%20Stress%20Affects%20the%20Immune%20System%0D%0Ahttps%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/how-the-mind-heals-the-body/201411/how-stress-affects-the-immune-system%3Feml%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0AFind%20Counselling%3A%20https%3A//www.psychologytoday.com/sg&destination=node/164381"> <div><img border="0" src="https://cdn2.psychologytoday.com/theme-assets/icons/icon-share-round-email-md.svg" alt="Share via Email" width="37" height="37" /><span class="visually-hidden">Email</span></div> </a> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <div class="pt-ad pt-ad--300x250 d-block d-none d-md-block d-lg-none block" id="block-adblock-20"> <div class="pt-ad--container pt-ad-show-text"> <div class="pt-ad--text"> <span>advertisement</span> </div> <div id="div-gpt-ad-1424993595349-0" class="pt-ad--content"> <script type="text/javascript"> if (window.googletag && googletag.apiReady) { googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1424993595349-0'); 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