Author: Armesse Cheney, MSN, RN-BC, NPD-BC
Avg. Read Time: 6 minutes
Yes, there is a link between our stress and immunity.
We all can think of a stressful situation that we’ve said we were “sick of” or a time we figuratively said something (or someone) was “making me sick”.
Though when we say things like this, it may not be literal, what if I told you that, your stress actually can be making you sick.
There is a connection between stress and immunity.
Whether it be stress from work, home, relationships, financial stress, or health there are times where we all experience the strain of the situations and demands around us.
Just a Little Science
When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to defend our bodies from infection is reduced, making us more susceptible to a number of illnesses. This happens because stress causes our bodies to create a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol can suppress your immune system’s effectiveness in fighting off invaders by interfering with normal white blood cell function (white blood cells help our bodies fight off infections, so less white blood cells = less defense).
Additionally, the effects of stress cause interruption in the normal functions of the nervous and endocrine systems, which can lead to our bodies being in prolonged states of inflammation, which can have a lasting impact on the body and brain.
Short-Term and Long-Term Stress
Short-term stressors are things that affect us then eventually go away. Healthy bodies are able to cope with these types of stressors in a way that does not cause any prolonged negative effects. On the other hand, when a stressor is ongoing, or chronic, and persists for an extended amount of time, health-related problems can follow. For example, a person who has a highly demanding job, or someone in a toxic, unhealthy relationship may experience chronic stress. One short-term stressor may not necessarily threaten your health, but a series of short-term stressors can have the same effect as long-term stressor.
Additionally, coping with stress may also cause people to look for relief in unhealthy lifestyle choices that further compromise the immune system. Some examples include smoking, overeating, or drinking alcohol.
Stress Resilience
Resilience is the ability of an individual to maintain or restore well-being when faced with trauma, stress, or adversity. The American Psychological Association [APA] advises that resilience is a skill that is not accessible to just a special few but includes a set of thoughts, behaviors, and actions that can be learned (APA, n.d.).
It is encouraging to see that there is a strong relationship between resilience and immunity.
Many times, when we are stressed, it comes from a perception of having lack of control over a situation. It can be difficult to deal with something out of your control. This could make us feel as if we are at the mercy of whatever this situation’s outcome will be.
Personal control is described as the amount of control a person perceives to have in influencing outcomes. Personal control has been identified as an important factor in stress resilience.
Through effective coping strategies, such as Nurse Coaching, one can unravel the causes of stress and discover the aspects of their stressors that are in their control.
Its encouraging to know there is always some aspect in our control. Even if it’s just controlling our thoughts and attitudes, that matters.
Those who exhibit high personal control may have a milder reaction to a stressful event, and are more likely to seek helpful coping strategies.
In a recent study, researchers found that those who experienced greater lifetime trauma had a higher risk of all-cause mortality, but the negative effects of trauma had lesser impact on those with higher perceived personal control (Elliot, Turiano, Infurna, Lachman, & Chapman, 2018).
Positive attitudes and optimism also strongly influence immune health.
Power of Positivity on Stress and Immunity
Positive [attitudes] includes feelings of joy, excitement, happiness, and peacefulness. Those who show positive [attitudes] and optimism have better health, improved levels of pain, and longevity (Dantzer, Cohen, Russo, & Dinan, 2018).
It is possible that people with these positive emotions tend to also have more social resources. Therefore, they are also more likely to practice self-care activities like exercise, sleep, or meditation and relaxation.
Through Nurse Coaching, you can build upon some of the following practices the APA suggests to improve stress resilience skills:
- Maintaining a positive attitude and a hopeful outlook
- Developing realistic goals and actively moving towards them
- Accepting change and keeping stressful events in perspective
- Building connections and relationships with friends, family, and community members; and asking for and accepting help
When these strategies of resilience are put into practice clients are better equipped to combat stress and prevent chronic disease.
Summary:
- Stress can negatively influence our immune systems and make us more susceptible to infection.
- Stress increases inflammation in the body and is connected with diseases of inflammation including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
- Work stress, social isolation, traumatic life events, grief, and lack of support are all types of stressors.
- Social support, exercise, and relaxation therapies have been proven effective in preventing and treating ailments caused by stress
- Stress resilience tools can be learned through effective Nurse Coaching. This includes focusing on improving personal control, optimism, and a positive attitude
Want more information on how Nurse Coaching from A Whole Coach can help you manage your stress? Click below to schedule your complimentary Discovery Session
References:
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). The road to resilience. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.aspx.
Dantzer, R., Cohen, S., Russo, S.J., Dinan, T.G. (2018). Resilience and immunity. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 74:28-42. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.08.010.
Elliot, A.J., Turiano, N.A., Infurna, F.J., Lachman, M.E., Chapman, B.P. (2018). Lifetime trauma, perceived control, and all-cause mortality: results from the Midlife in the United States Study. Health Psychology, 37(3):262-270. doi:10.1037/hea0000585.