With the covid19 outbreak prevention hitting full force in the US, it is easy to see why we are getting stressed out- school closures, workplace uncertainty, items unavailable at grocery stores. We have not witnessed an overwhelming amount of TV and social media coverage on a health pandemic before, nor witnessed this scale of closures. It’s a storm we cannot quite see, nor understand the impact of quite yet.
One thing is for certain, and that is important to ensure your immune system is functioning at an optimal level.
During times of both physical and emotional stress, the body responds in a similar way. In the acute phase of the stress, the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for the “fight or flight” reaction, is activated. This important survival instinct allows us to activate the body when encountering an immediate life-threatening situation, but does not allow us to prepare for a crisis situation as it reroutes energy from higher level cognitive thinking to muscle activation and metabolism.
Long term stress situations have an effect on our immune system in a two-fold way, the first being hormonal and the second being immunologic.
Hormonally, our body under times of chronic stress releases a significant amount of cortisol, a steroid our body produces to help maintain the similar “fight or flight” response over a long period of time. In modern times, day to day life stress is responsible for significantly high cortisol levels, resulting in mental fogging, depression, sleep issues, muscle weakness, decreased bone density, higher blood sugars, and a less effective immune response. This pathway is definitely heightened as we consider the fear-based emotions stemming from the current outbreak.
The second change that long-term stress causes is on the immune system. One type of immune cell found in our body, called the “natural killer,” or NK cell, is responsible for recognizing and killing tumors and virally infected cells. In the early 1980’s, a study conducted by psychologist Janice Kielcolt-Glaser and immunologist Ronald Glaser investigated the effects of the immune system, specifically the activity of NK cells, on students under stress from preparing for exams. They found that students under a high level of stress had the level of NK cells decreased significantly compared to other students who were not at this increased level of stress.
Chronic stress and fear lead to the body being more vulnerable to having a cold, and a decreased antibody build-up following vaccines, all due to the reduced immune function.
Although the current state of our communities and worldwide is in a state of panic, and it is unavoidable to have a heightened level of stress and anxiety, it is important at this time to focus the priority on keeping your immune system strong as a natural defense. There are going to be several moments when one comes across unexpected situations, and reducing stress levels helps to also be adaptable and respond in effective ways. Some practices when incorporated into day-to-day life that can help reduce overall stress are:
- Being in the present
- Meditations
- Feelings, thoughts and acts of gratitude
Bringing your attention to the present time by slowing down and accepting the moment as it is; this is a powerful tool that helps us appreciate both the positive and negative feelings, thoughts and attitudes we may have about a particular situation around us, despite not having control over the situation. The practice does allow us to recognize what we can do by tapping into our cognitive and problem-solving capacity. A 2012 study looked at adults over the age of 50, and found that those who performed mindfulness meditation practices were less likely to get sick with respiratory infection.
Practicing gratitude takes mindfulness to the next level by being intentional about our responses to unexpected situations. By changing our perception of situations, we allow ourselves to find the greater good in situations, become more willing to help others, and tap into our parasympathetic nervous system that helps us to remain cognitively and goal driven. A vast amount of research currently supports that practicing gratitude also has significant physical benefits, including decreased cortisol levels and a strengthened immune system to help fight against illness.
Although there are significant stressors at play during this trying time, where we still have many responsibilities to our work, family and friends, we still have a significant responsibility to our overall health and wellbeing. Let’s take this time to cultivate habits that help promote a healthy lifestyle not just for ourselves but with our children and families at home with us. Cultivating habits of meditation, practicing a gratitude journal, or prayer are all habits we can incorporate in our day-to-day lives and form lasting and positive habits in our homes. Let’s use this time to disconnect and reflect on how we respond to the daily stressors in our lives, and utilize techniques to cope with fear and anxiety to help boost our physical and emotional wellbeing as we move through uncertainty.