Take a Break, Bitch! - Getting Your Immune System to Rest

What is stress?

Stress is a normal response to a threat, whether it's physical or mental. Your body has evolved to respond quickly to danger by releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that help you fight or run away from the threat. This reaction is called the fight-or-flight response and can be triggered by anything from an angry face on TV (mental) to seeing a spider crawling across your floor (physical). Depending on what type of stressor you experience, your immune system will react differently: if you're exposed to an emotional stressor like being rejected by someone close, your sympathetic nervous system will be activated; if the source of the stress is physical--like running for 30 minutes at 6 am every morning--then your parasympathetic nervous system will kick in.

How does our immune system respond to stress?

Stress can cause your immune system to become overactive, underactive, and confused. It can also be exhausted and unable to respond properly to a threat when it's most needed. A recent study found that stress changes how our bodies handle infection by weakening the cells that fight off germs. The researchers tested more than 1,000 people for evidence of inflammation in their blood (which is good) or for signs of suppression (bad). They found that people who reported high levels of psychological distress had higher levels of inflammation--meaning they were better able to fight off viruses or bacteria--than those who reported low levels of distress. But they also had higher levels of suppression: Their bodies couldn't respond as well as they could have if they hadn't been under so much pressure in their lives!

Why is it important to take a break?

Your immune system is a complex network of cells and organs working together to protect you from infection and disease. When it's working properly, your body can fend off infections by producing antibodies that attack foreign invaders like bacteria or viruses. But if your immune system gets overworked--say, because of a long stretch of stress--it may stop producing enough antibodies to fight off pathogens effectively. That's when colds start to creep up on you, or even serious illnesses like cancer could develop (though this isn't the only way tumors form). The key is balance: You need enough rest so that when something in life threatens your health, you have enough energy left over after fighting it off, so you don't get sick again right away!

What can we do to support our bodies when they need a break?

• Rest, sleep, and downtime: These are all important for reducing stress on your body. You should be getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night, but if you're unable to do this, try taking naps during the day. Make sure that when you're resting or sleeping that it's in a dark room with minimal noise so that your body can get into its natural rhythm.

• Support your gut: One way we can support our immune system is by eating foods that help it function properly--this includes vegetables with lots of fiber as well as probiotics (foods like yogurt), prebiotics (legumes), fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi) or supplements containing yeast-based strains such as Saccharomyces boulardii
  

How do we make sure we are getting enough rest and recovery time?

The best way to ensure you get enough rest and recovery time is to get a good night's sleep. Try these tips:

• Get 8 hours of sleep. This should be your goal, but it may not always happen--especially if you have children or work late hours. If that's the case, try going to bed earlier or taking naps during the day (if possible).

• Sleep in a cool room with no light pollution from computers or televisions. You want your body temperature to drop before you go to sleep so that it can fall into REM (rapid eye movement) stage quicker when it does come time for restful slumbering.*

• Avoid caffeine before bedtime so that there aren't any stimulants keeping your mind active while trying desperately, not just yet but soon enough when I'll get up again because no one else will wake up either, so why bother now?

We are not machines - we need to remember that.

We are not machines. We need to remember that.

We are designed to rest and recover, not run at full capacity 24/7, with no breaks for the rest of our lives. If you're an athlete or a fitness enthusiast, this should be obvious - your body needs time to repair itself from strenuous activity and build strength so that you can improve performance in future workouts or races/competitions (or whatever). But if you're not an athlete or fitness enthusiast, maybe it's time for some perspective: even if your job isn't physically demanding on its face--even if it's sitting behind a desk all day--the fact remains that we are human beings who operate best when they take care of themselves by getting enough sleep every night and making sure they aren't working themselves into overdrive every single day without any downtime whatsoever.*

Conclusion

Remember, you are not a machine. You must take care of yourself and ensure that your body gets enough rest and recovery time. If you're feeling overwhelmed by stress or other emotions, it's time to take some time out for yourself!