The immune system defends your body by isolating and destroying bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances. The immune system has 2 types of white blood cells, called lymphocytes. The 2 types are B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes, Bs form in the bone marrow and release antibodies that fight bacterial infections, Ts form in the thymus and other lymphatic tissue and attack cancer cells, viruses, and foreign substances. Macrophage, also called the "big eater," is another part of the immune system and it identifies, pursues, and ingests harmful invaders. Many factors like age, nutrition, genetics, body temperature, along with stress, influence the immune system's activity.
Your immune system usually does one of two things - responds too strongly or underreacts. If your immune system responds too strongly, it might attack the body's own tissues, causing arthritis or an allergic reaction. If it underreacts, it might allow a herpes virus to erupt or it might allow cancer cells to multiply. Women are less susceptible to infections, however, it makes them more susceptible to self-attacking diseases, like lupus and multiple sclerosis.
I bet you're wondering how the immune system has anything to do with stress, so I'm gonna tell you. The brain regulates the secretion of your stress hormones, which then suppress your lymphocytes. Cohen and others conducted a study in 1992 in which they monitored immune responses in 43 monkeys over 6 months. They observed that 21 of the monkeys were stressed by being housed with 3 or 4 new monkey roommates each month. These 21 monkeys, in comparison with the monkeys left in stable groups, experienced weaken immune systems. The disruption of their social environment caused their immune system to weaken, like if we were to leave home to attend school or summer camp. Just like the monkeys, stress depresses our immune system as humans.
Your immune system usually does one of two things - responds too strongly or underreacts. If your immune system responds too strongly, it might attack the body's own tissues, causing arthritis or an allergic reaction. If it underreacts, it might allow a herpes virus to erupt or it might allow cancer cells to multiply. Women are less susceptible to infections, however, it makes them more susceptible to self-attacking diseases, like lupus and multiple sclerosis.
I bet you're wondering how the immune system has anything to do with stress, so I'm gonna tell you. The brain regulates the secretion of your stress hormones, which then suppress your lymphocytes. Cohen and others conducted a study in 1992 in which they monitored immune responses in 43 monkeys over 6 months. They observed that 21 of the monkeys were stressed by being housed with 3 or 4 new monkey roommates each month. These 21 monkeys, in comparison with the monkeys left in stable groups, experienced weaken immune systems. The disruption of their social environment caused their immune system to weaken, like if we were to leave home to attend school or summer camp. Just like the monkeys, stress depresses our immune system as humans.