How To Lower Stress To Boost Immunity
The immune system protects the body from harmful infections like viruses, bacteria and others.
Unfortunately, when we are stressed, our immune systems become weaker as it causes hormone imbalances within the glands of the body.
In today's video we will explain how stress effects immunity and what you can do to lower stress quickly and naturally.
1. Cortisol
When we feel stressed and tense our body produces more cortisol. This is a steroid hormone which is produced in the adrenal glands.
Having too much cortisol makes the body more susceptible to infections because it reduces the number of immune cells called lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes are very important as they defend the body against harmful foreign invaders like viruses, bacteria, cancer cells and other foreign organisms.
2. Emotional Stress
The most common form of stress comes from emotional stress. You may feel many different feelings such as anxiety, fear, anger, sadness or frustration.
These feelings can trigger each other and cause physical symptoms over time such as autoimmune disorders, aches and pains, mental health problems, shaking, trembling and restless leg syndrome.
All of these emotions weaken your body's immune system and make it more likely that you catch a virus or bacterial infection.
3. Good Vs Bad Stress
Small amounts of stress are good for the body like exercise, fasting and cold therapy. This type of stress can cause positive changes to your health.
The dangerous type of stress is called chronic stress. This is a state where you feel stressed for days, weeks, months or even years. The body becomes locked in the "fight or flight" state which weakens your immune system.
Feeling stressed for long periods of time keeps your cortisol hormone high. This can create cortisol resistance in the cells which makes your body more vulnerable to infections.
Long periods of stress supress the immune system and give harmful pathogens the opportunity to invade your body whilst your defences are low.
4. Sleep
Getting lots of deep restorative sleep helps to keep the immune system in perfect sync with the body.
When you are sleeping at night, there are certain phases where immune cells are released and activated. This is linked to the natural sleep cycles and the rhythm of certain hormones.
If we do not get enough sleep it causes the balance to be off, which then causes stress in the body, which weakens immunity.
5. Exercise
Regular exercise helps the brain to produce chemicals that make you feel good called endorphins.
Endorphins act as natural pain killers, help you to sleep better, reduce stress, improve mood and reduce cortisol.
We recommend performing at least 10-15 minutes of aerobic exercise daily like running, fast walking or cycling. Anything that gets the heart pumping can reduce chronic stress.
Exercise is a healthy type of stress which makes the body stronger and more resistant to infections and diseases.
6. Fresh Air
Going outside and getting lots of fresh air is important for a healthy immune system.
This has a positive effect on our mental health which makes us feel more relaxed and less likely to suffer with stress.
Breathing in lots of fresh air also allows the body to absorb more oxygen through the lungs which helps our white blood cells to function properly.
This means that the white blood cells can effectively fight and kill bacteria, viruses and other germs.
7. Aromatherapy
If you feel stressed on a regular basis, we recommend using aromatherapy as a tool for relaxation.
You can purchase essential oils and burn these in an oil burner or diffuser. These release healing compounds into the air which trigger relaxation in the body.
You can also mix different oils together to create more relaxing blends. We recommend a few drops of frankincense, myrrh, bergamot and lavender. This is an excellent combination for creating peace and boosting the immune system.
8. Candlelight
Many people suffer with anxiety on a regular basis with lots of thoughts flashing into the mind.
Anxiety and stress make it very hard to focus on the present moment, which leaves us feeling confused and unable to concentrate.
We recommend switching off all your devices and sitting in a dark room. Light a candle and keep your attention on the flickering of the flame.
Your mind may wander back and forth and that's okay, simply keep bringing your attention back to the flame.
After a little while you will begin to become more present, your mind will become clearer and more focused. This is a very healthy and simple activity to reduce stress and also boost the immune system.
9. Guided Meditations
There are many guided meditations that you can listen to on YouTube for free. Simply listen to these with headphones on and follow the instructions of the narrator.
These tracks are designed to boost relaxation and create feelings of serenity. They will help to calm down your central nervous system.
These tools actually change your bodies chemistry for the better, by helping you to let go of the "fight or flight" state that may be supressing your immunity to infections.
10. Laughter
Many people use the phrase "laughter is the best medicine". This statement has some truth to it as laugher reduces stress hormones in the body such as adrenaline and cortisol.
Laughter triggers feel-good chemicals called endorphins to be released in the brain.
These give you an overall sense of well-being, help to relieve pain in the body and boost infection-fighting antibodies.
As you can see, there are many ways to lower stress in order to strengthen your immune system.
It is very important to realise that stress causes physical damage to the body over time, by causing imbalances in your brain chemistry and immune function.
By taking steps to calm yourself on a daily basis, you can support a strong immunity, reduce advanced aging and prevent mental health problems.
