Stress, COVID-19 and your Immune System
Yes, the COVOD-19 situation is an extremely unpleasant one. We don’t know how it’s going to play out and so feeling stressed at present is normal. However, psychological stress impacts immune function, so managing the stress we’re feeling is critically important if we want our immune system to function optimally.
Firstly, the definition of stress
The definition of stress can be broadly defined as being a particular relationship between a person and their environment, or events, that exceeds their perceived capacity/resources to cope. So, any experience that a person feels is overwhelming will lead to them feeling stressed.
Responding to stress is an energy-intensive process
When faced with a stressful experience or event (a stressor) the body has to mobilize energy, so as to possibly fight or flee from a tiger. This impacts your metabolism.
Next, the immune system has to be activated, so that if you’re hurt your body can start repair and fight infection.
Next, your reproductive and digestive processes are put on hold as their functioning is not critical to your survival.
In addition, the synthesis of adrenaline and cortisol require specific nutrients, which we can become deficient in if our stress continues unchecked.
What is the immune system?
The immune system is made up of interrelated cells, organs, tissues and proteins aimed at providing protection against physical damage and disease. In the face of damage, or potential disease via pathogens, this system steps up its production of specific cells, which go to work to minimize damage and eliminate infectious agents.
The lymphatic system is part of the immune system
The lymphatic system is a complex system comprised of lymph vessels and nodes. Lymph nodes are the battleground for fighting infection via white blood cells.
These nodes contain lymph fluid and filter harmful pathogens, toxins, waste and cancer cells from the body.
These harmful products are then moved back into the blood stream so the liver and kidneys can remove them from the blood, and then they leave the body via the digestive system or through the kidneys.
The lymphatic system does not have a pump, like the heart, which the circulatory system possesses.
Daily movement, especially using our muscles, and proper breathing, moves lymph fluid through the lymph vessels so that the fluid can pass through the lymph node filters.
How does stress impact the immune system?
When you think there’s a tiger in the bushes, the immune system responds quickly via the mass mobilization of immune system cells such as cytokines, and B and T lymphocytes, to prepare the body for a potential attack, which may lead to injury or infection.
This type of stress, termed acute stress, has less of a long term impact on health generally, and the immune system specifically.
Chronic stress on the other hand has long-reaching effects for overall health and wellbeing, including mental health.
Over time, stress leads to high circulating levels of cytokines, which are pro-inflammatory, lead to immune system dysregulation and also impact brain function negatively.
Chronic stress therefore wears down the immune system and thus the bodies ability to respond to damage and the invasion of pathogens. Irritable bowl syndrome (IBS), autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have all been linked to chronic stress.
Affective disorders such as anxiety and depression are also linked to chronic stress because the brain loses its ability to optimally modulate emotion.
Not everyone’s immune system responds the same way to stress
Early life stress (ELS) impacts the immune system negatively via a reduced mobilization of immune cells in the face of damage or pathogen invasion.
Age also impacts the immune systems ability to respond vigorously to the same, and impacts the brains ability to switch off the stress response. This is why age is implicated in most disease states, including COVID-19.
So, what can you do to minimize the effects of stress on your immune system?
• Take a deep breath and focus on what you can control. Remember, we can influence some things in our lives and we can’t influence others. Focus on the latter. The brain wants closure, but there is none at present, so stop watching the news compulsively and focus instead on what you can do.
• Stop reading everything you can find re’ this challenge on social media and, before you post anything think about whether you are helping or hindering others with your post.
• Take time each day to sit silently and be grateful for what is good about your life. If you already practice meditation, continue. We always need a calm and centered mind, even more so when the world seems to have gone crazy.
• Perspective is everything - this may seem like a daunting experience, but it’s also an opportunity to get back to basics and implement strategies that can enhance your physical and mental health long term, not just during this time.
• Lifestyle, including overall diet quality, is more important than specific nutrients purported to ‘boost the immune’ system. A diet high in soluble and insoluble fibre, nutrient dense foods, which include antioxidant and anti-inflammatory rich foods, B vitamins, and essential fats support overall health, which in turn supports optimum immune function. This article provides a comprehensive list of foods and herbs, as well as other lifestyle strategies, to support optimal immune function.
• Exercise both improves lymph flow and function, which supports immune function, and reduces stress. Find a way to add exercise to your daily routine so that you can keep lymph flowing and reduce stress.
• Please stay mindful of the fact that humans are resilient and creative. By staying calm, reasonable and compassionate we’ll get through this crisis, and be the stronger for it!
Conclusion
How we feel about the stress we’re facing - regardless of what it is - will largely determine how it affects us. If we feel overwhelmed by the situation, it is likely to impact our immune system negatively.
The shifts in physiological processes that accompany chronic stress can lead to other long reaching effects if stress is left unchecked.
Take time to work out what strategies you can use to minimize the negative effects of this stressful time so that your immune system supports you in staying well.
References
Chaplin, D. D. (2010). Overview of the immune response. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology, 125(2 Suppl 2), S3-S23.
Godoy, L. D., Rossignoli, M. T., Delfino-Pereira, P., Garcia-Cairasco, N., & de Lima Umeoka, E. H. (2018). A Comprehensive Overview on Stress Neurobiology: Basic Concepts and Clinical Implications. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12(127).
McCabe, D. (2016). Feed Your Brain. 7 Steps to a Lighter, Brighter You! Sydney, Australia: Exisle.
Morey, J. N., Boggero, I. A., Scott, A. B., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2015). Current Directions in Stress and Human Immune Function. Current opinion in psychology, 5, 13-17.
https://fitnessvolt.com/boost-immune-system/ (cited 19 September 2020)