Stress is harmful to your body
An article from Scientific American got my attention today, especially since I found myself sick several times last month. The article, entitled “The Danger of Stress”, revealed studies showing how long-term stress can be harmful to the body.
It might seem counterintuitive, but… stress makes our immune systems less effective because it actually elicits an immune response itself. [It] causes the body to release pro-inflammatory cytokines, immune factors that initiate responses against infections. When the body produces these cytokines over long periods of time—for instance, as a result of chronic stress—all sorts of bad things can happen. Not only does it hamper our body’s ability to fight infection and heal wounds, but chronic inflammation also increases our risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and autoimmune diseases including type 2 diabetes.
Source: SciAm.com
Apparently, regular stress also increases one’s risk for allergies, and if you find that you’ve had an allergic response while in a stressful situation (the day before a big presentation, for instance), your allergic reaction will get worse within the next few days.
To read the rest of the article over at Scientific American, click here.
Do you notice the effects of stress on your body? What do you do to relieve yourself of stress?
Photo Credit: Image from Charlie Balch from stock.xchng
