Can Stress Make You Sick?

"Over the past decade, studies out of Stanford and Ohio State University blame stress and anxiety to lower levels of nature killer (NK) cells in cancer patients. The cancer patients with strong emotional support systems and very low stress factors had higher levels of NK cells. "

Everyone experiences stress in one form or another. There is the acute stress of a traumatic event, or the day-to-day wear and tear from sitting in traffic jams, feeling angry, or worrying about work and finances.

How your brain perceives stress and affects your health is a complex one. However, numerous studies confirm that long-term stress suppresses the immune system. With a weakened immune system, the body becomes more vulnerable to infections such as colds and the flu and diseases. Stress is also linked to heart disease, hypertension and may play a role in cancer.

Researchers say that maintaining social relationships is an effective way to relieve stress. The investigation, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, revealed that a lack of diverse social contacts was a strong risk factor for illness such as a cold.

The idea that emotions are tied to health is not a new one. Modern researchers have had little reason to revisit this notion, until recently. They have gained a greater understanding of the way the body functions at the cellular level, and have made the surprising discovery that certain molecules transmit signals between the nervous and immune systems.

Studies suggest that chronic anger, anxiety, or loneliness can be lethal to people with coronary artery disease. There is also evidence that physically healthy people who are chronically depressed may be setting the stage for future heart disease.

Over the past decade, studies out of Stanford and Ohio State University blame stress and anxiety to lower levels of nature killer (NK) cells in cancer patients. The cancer patients with strong emotional support systems and very low stress factors had higher levels of NK cells.

However, many researchers say the jury is still out on the direct link of stress and cancer. Many studies are currently looking at immune functions in relation to the progression of cancer.

When experts recommend that people reduce stress in their lives, it doesn't necessarily mean that you need to leave the city for the country, quit your job, or make other dramatic changes to avoid an early grave. It may simple mean exercising more, expanding your social circle, reaching out to others, or putting a traffic jam into perspective.