Why do some people get sick more easily? And how can they strengthen their immune system?

It has been a long winter, filled with viruses and pressure on the cost of living, on top of the usual mix of work, study, administrative tasks and caring responsibilities.

Stress is an inevitable part of life. In short bursts, our stress response evolved as a survival mechanism to make us more alert in fight or flight situations.

But when stress is chronic, it weakens the immune system and makes us more vulnerable to diseases such as cold, flu And COVID.

Stress makes it harder to fight viruses

When the immune system begins to break down, a virus that would normally be under control begins to flourish.

As soon as you start to feel sick, stress response increases, making it harder for the immune system to fight the disease. You may be sick more often and for longer, without enough immune cells ready to fight.

In the 1990s, American psychology professor Sheldon Cohen and his colleagues conducted a number of studies to research in which healthy people were exposed to an upper respiratory infection, via droplets of virus placed directly into their bodies nose.

These participants were then quarantined in a hotel and closely monitored to determine who became ill.

One of the most important factors predicting who became ill was long-term psychological tension.

Cortisol suppresses immunity

“Short-term stress” is stress that lasts for a few minutes to hours, while “chronic stress” lasts for several hours a day. weeks or months.

When you are faced with a perceived threat, psychological or physical, the hypothalamus region of the brain activates an alarm system. This signals the release of a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

In a typical stress response, cortisol levels levels rise rapidly when stress occurs, and then quickly return to normal once the stress subsides. In the short term, cortisol suppresses inflammation, ensuring that the body has enough energy available to respond to a immediate threat.

But in the long run, chronic stress can be harmful. A study from Harvard University from 2022 showed that people who had mental health problems leading up to their COVID infection were more likely to experience long-term COVID. classified This distress can manifest itself in depression, possible anxiety, perceived stress, concerns about COVID and loneliness.

Those in need had almost a 50% higher risk of long COVID compared to other participants. Cortisol has been shown to be high in the most severe cases of COVID.

Stress causes inflammation

Inflammation is a short-term response to injury or infection. It is responsible for transporting immune cells around your body so that the right cells are present at the right times and in the right places levels.

The immune cells also store a memory of the threat so they can respond faster and more effectively next time.

Initially, circulating immune cells detect the site of infection and migrate there. infectionMessenger proteins known as pro-inflammatory cytokines are released by immune cells to signal danger and call for help, and our immune system responds by threat.

During this response to the infection, if the immune system produces too many of these inflammatory chemicals, it can cause symptoms such as a stuffy and runny nose. nose.

What about chronic stress?

Chronic stress causes persistently high cortisol secretion, which remains high even in the absence of a direct stress factor.

The immune system becomes desensitized and no longer responds to these cortisol suppressionwhich increases low-grade ‘silent’ inflammation and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (the messenger proteins).

Immune cells become exhausted and begin malfunctionThe body loses the ability to suppress the inflammatory response. answer.

Over time, the immune system changes the way it responds by reprogramming itself to a “low guard modeThe immune system misses early opportunities to destroy threats and the recovery process may take longer.

How can you manage stress?

We can actively strengthen our immunity and natural defenses by managing our stress levels. Instead of letting stress build up, try to address it early and frequently by:

1. Get enough sleep

Adequate sleep reduces cortisol levels and inflammation. During sleep, the immune system is releases cytokines, which help fight infection and inflammation.

2. Exercise regularly

Exercise helps circulate the lymphatic system (which balances body fluids as part of the immune system) and allows immune cells to watch for threats, while sweating warms muscles. toxinsPhysical activity also lowers stress hormone levels by releasing positive brain activity. signals.

3. Eat healthy

Ensuring your diet contains adequate nutrients, such as B vitamins and the full spectrum of minerals such as magnesium, iron and zinc, during times of stress has a positive impact on overall stress. levelsStaying hydrated helps the body flush out toxins.

4. Social contact and practicing meditation or mindfulness

These activities increase the production of endorphins and serotonin, which improve mood and anti-inflammatory effectsBreathing exercises and meditation stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms our stress responses so we can “reset” and reduce stress. cortisol levels.

This article has been republished from The conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.