Its not the stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.
-Hans Selye
Though how great your day is, problems and challenges may be incurred in any instance. On this blog, I want to tackle about how stress can actually lessen our immunity more on the health aspect. Do you know that this day-to-day encounter with stress can actually give a lot of negative effects on our health? These stress factors might be normal yet we should be responsible on handling these things to avoid complications and avoid more to trouble.
What is Stress?
Stress is the response of any living organism (on this case, we are talking about humans) to any situation, events or happening. It is a physical response on our day-to-day situation. When we are stressed-out, our body abruptly shifts to a fight-or-flight mode resulting to release hormones.
Fight or Flight response is also called hyperarousal, or the acute stress response) is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival - Source
What happens when we are stressed-out?
During the event of stress, there are chemical reactions triggered. These triggered chemical reactions can release hormones like adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine. These hormones energizes us to quickly respond into a certain situation, like for example when we are almost hit by a car which allows us to swiftly run to a safer area. There are three things we consider during stressful moments - fight, flight or freeze (the 3Fs).
On the other hand, these hormones have the ability to interfere with the human's immune system. This interference can result to inflammation. The following can be a result:
- it can reduced the white blood cells
- higher risk for infection
- and, high possibility of tissue damage.
Two ways to affect our immune system (by Stress)
- Chronic Inflammation
Chronic inflammation, sometimes called persistent, low-grade inflammation, happens when the body sends an inflammatory response to a perceived internal threat that does not require an inflammatory response. - source
It can also harm our body tissues which can really give a trouble.
- Suppressed Imune Cells
Immune cells are the cells needed by our immune system to fight the infection or any attack by external body threats. When suppressing this, it can open up the possibility of welcoming the foreign invaders in our body.
Moreover, prolonged exposure to any stressful situation or social conflicts can result in high level of stress which can cause to abnormal functions in the immune system. With this, it can heighten one's vulnerability to any infectious diseases. Stress can weaken the immune system of the body to fight off the antigens.
As I mentioned above, our body releases hormones and one of these is a cortisol. Cortisol is responsible to prepare our body to run away from any threats. On this event, the body's immune system is suppressed by lowering the amounts of proteins around the body. This protein is used to signal all other immune cells around the body about an stressful/harmful event.
This will result to reducing the numbers of lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are immune cells that is presents on our body which protects us from any foreign and harmful invaders like antigens that can cause any varied diseases. Lower lymphocytes can weakened our immune system as well our body to fight against infections. Diseases incurred includes cardiovascular disease, diabetes, ulcers, asthma, terrible headaches.
Prolonged Stress
Prolonged stress can result to the following
- Indecisive
- Self doubt
- Loss of focus
- Poor Judgment
- Memory loss/problems
- Depression
- Moodiness
- Panic
- Anxiety
- Rapid heartbeat, chest pain, High Blood Pressure
- Aches and pains
- Isolation from others and sleeping deprivation
- Increase intake in alcohol , cigarettes or worst is prohibited drugs
- Demotivates and Loss of sense of humor
Common Stressors
With today's era, there are a lot of stressor around us. Sometimes they can also be consider to be a reason for depression. Depression sometimes is the result of unhandled stress.
These stressors can be :
Financial Stress
We are living with a need of money of course. Paying bills, tuition, buying the groceries, transportation expenses involve money. Our daily lives revolves on how we do spend our money. With this, we can really encounter this kind of stress. This is so evident.Emotional
Breaking with girl/boy friend, depressed, unappreciated efforts? Well, these are so common nowadays. Basically, being broken or even just picking a fight can cause stress. Unappreciated efforts by your parents or family. And being depressed over matters.Studies or Work
This is true to me. With so much homeworks, projects and reports can result to stress. Same with work, beating the deadline is always present in every 50% of all the employees/students in an institution.Environment
In education, environment really can make a big impact on how you deal and react with any situation. Wherever we are, this can give us stress.
Coping up with Stress
There are a lot of tips to cope up with stress, but let me name a few.
- First and foremost, AVOID TOXIC SITUATIONS that might turn into stressful event.
- Take a break from work or school (handle it properly)
- Eat a balanced diet and don't skip any meal. Reduction of food intake may alter your response into any situation.
- Always and always, EXERCISE!
- Avoid too much Caffeine intake.
- Travel and go outdoors once in awhile.
- Be positive. Embrace positivity
- Be yourself and enjoy any moment that needs to be enjoyed. Don't be a Kill Joy!
- Set goals as always.
- Learn to say "NO" if you know it can be harmful. Avoid!
- Have a "ME" time.
- Meet up your hobbies.
- Don't deprived yourself from enough sleep.
- Inhale and exhale.
- LAUGHTER is the best medicine. enjoy!
SO DO NOT STRESS TOO MUCH!
ENJOY LIFE BECAUSE YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!!