Can Stress and Anxiety affect your Immunity?

Our stress & anxiety does not come from thinking about the future but from wanting to control it! – Kahlil Gibran

Stress is unavoidable in our current lifestyle and is sometimes necessary for our growth. Minor stressors of every day can bring out the best in us. They can be used effectively to enhance our performance levels if we become aware of them and monitor them. However, it is impossible to detect how much stress is good for us!

Anxiety is a by-product of stress which creates many discomforting symptoms and challenges in the body and mind.

Stress & Anxiety can upset many natural rhythms in our body and affect both mental and physical health:  To name a few:

• Stress & Anxiety can cause the pupils of the eyes to dilate. This Fight or Flight status of our body thus distorts many blood vessels in our body and, in turn, upsets oxygen levels and breathing.
• Stress & Anxiety can give rise to related cardiac conditions like high Blood pressure and Cardiac/Heart-related conditions if stress is prolonged and intense. Panic attacks, strokes, and heart attacks can result from stress.
• Stress releases hormones like adrenaline & cortisol into the bloodstream. These are nothing short of rocket fuel to the body! The surge of energy released in this manner is obtained from vital organs of the body that get compromised with their normal functions. If we do not use this energy derived from hormones, organ damage occurs. Thus, stress can cause severe breakdowns in the kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, etc.
• Stress & Anxiety disrupt normal hormonal functions in the body. A condition like diabetes is one such. To name others, Thyroid malfunction and Addison’s Disease are both related to the body’s stress.
• Stress & Anxiety disturbs sleep, productivity, concentration, and focus. It affects thinking processes by hindering reflexes, reasoning abilities, and mental responses.
• Stress can give rise to emotional issues like anger, irritation and depression.
• Stress hinders immunity; hence, falling sick is thus unavoidable with extreme stress & anxiety. Cold, flu, infections, and physical and mental fatigue occur when the immunity is compromised. Conversely, low immunity can create stress in the body, which upsets many normal functions in the body.

Stress thus disrupts normal functions of the body. If you ever wondered why you fall sick during unexpected times or suddenly feel exhausted for no reason, look out for stressors that may have created an imbalance.

Stress should be used as a good motivator. Catching it at the onset proves to help eliminate it. When you become aware of stress in your body, look out for involved stressors and eliminate them. Do not let stress or anxiety get to your Immunity!

Take Charge- Stay Stress-free.