Is there a link between stress and chronic disease? Experts say chronic stress serves as a risk factor that leads to conditions like heart problems, type 2 diabetes, obesity, etc. But how? Clear your doubts in this article which explores the link between stress and chronic disease. Visit the best Mental Health Clinic in Brooklyn at Doral Health & Wellness or log on to www.doralhw.org

Exploring the link between stress and immune function

Stress is the body’s natural response that helps protect us and makes us more alert. Stress is of two types acute stress and chronic stress.

Acute stress happens on a short-term basis which activates a fight or flight response so that you can take quick action to save yourself from the situation. It increases the blood flow to your muscles, your heartbeats get faster, your breathing gets shallow, and your blood pressure increases. All these reactions help your body to survive the situation and after that, your body produces stress hormones (cortisol and other hormones) to release your stress. It doesn’t affect your body function.

However, chronic stress does the opposite. It lasts longer and affects your immunity and body functions. Chronic stress keeps your body stuck in fight or flight mode for longer periods which makes it harder for your body to get back to a normal state of being. This increases the production of cortisol and other stress hormones in the body which increases inflammation.

Additionally, chronic stress also decreases your body’s lymphocytes — white blood cells that fight off infection. This means it increases your risk of viruses such as common cold or cold sores. This is where you experience stress-induced sickness. Your immune system starts to feel weaker, unable to fight against infections or diseases properly.

High stress also causes depression and anxiety, which also increases the levels of inflammation. If your stress is not released, elevated levels of inflammation make your immune system tired and make you vulnerable to severe conditions.

Exploring the link between stress and chronic disease

During stress, the body produces cortisol and other hormones that boost immunity by limiting inflammation. However, if you experience long-term stress, your body will produce too much cortisol in the blood, which increases inflammation and suppresses your immune system’s ability to fight off invaders (germs) which contribute to chronic diseases.

Additionally, stress also reduces natural killer cells or lymphocytes in the body which are needed to fight viruses. A review of studies found that stress may make the immune system produce an inflammatory response but only for some time to fight germs. Later, inflammation becomes persistent and widespread, which increases the risk of chronic diseases like plaque buildup on your arterial walls. That’s just one of many factors that create a complex relationship between stress and the heart. According to recent immunology research studies, chronic stress can hamper the body’s anti-inflammatory response and cause continual infections.

This way if you don’t handle chronic stress, increased levels of inflammation can lead to the development and progression of any of these chronic diseases, including:

• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Lupus
• Psoriasis
• Inflammatory bowel disease

Prolonged stress can increase your risk of cardiovascular problems like fast heart rate, and heart disease, as well as gastric ulcers. It also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, various cancers, and mental health decline.

Prolonged or chronic stress can affect your immune system and limit the number and effectiveness of lymphocytes which increases the risk of invaders and increases your inflammation levels which over time can contribute to the formation of chronic diseases. That’s why you should handle your stress well by using relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, listening to music, spending time with family and friends, getting enough sleep, etc. to prevent complications.

If you need help with your stress, visit our behavioral health clinic in Brooklyn for professional medical support. Call us to book your appointment or for a consultation. Book your appointment with the best mental health professionals in Brooklyn where doctors and staff ensure you get the best results. Call us on +1-347-384-5690 to get a consultation. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors and psychiatrists to learn those methods, log on to www.doralhw.org. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.