What is the connection between the immune system and stress?
• Psychosomatic – our state of mind is very closely linked to the responses of our body. • When the body is under stress, the adrenal glands secrete corticosteroid hormones – so the body’s power of resistance drops. • More of the hormone vasopressin is secreted, which causes the slowing down of the movement of antibodies. • Emotions have an effect on sickness and death – on the immune system. What can trigger stress? • Worry • Sadness • Anger • Unhappiness • Disappointment • Discontentment • A fast pace of life. The feeling of not having time, the feeling of not being able to, the feeling of not knowing if this is alright, the feeling of not wanting to but having to, the feeling of it were possible but it’s not, the feeling of being overburdened, and so on. The consequences of stress Stress has a physical as well as a mental effect on the body, and these effects can manifest themselves as some of the following: • Migraines • Tension forming in some muscles, for example in the back and
