How Stress Impacts the Immune System — and How to Protect Yourself

Why Do You Always Get Sick When You’re Stressed?

You've been here before: staying up late to meet a deadline, dealing with family issues, or getting through a stressful week, only to be stopped by a sore throat, fever, or exhaustion. It seems mean. You are already stretched thin, and now your body seems to be letting you down. But this isn't bad luck; it's just how biology works. When you get more stressed, your immune system suffers.

So, can stress really make you more likely to get sick? Yes, for sure. Chronic stress weakens your immune system, making you more likely to get sick and take longer to get better. The good news? When you understand this connection, you can protect your health even when things are tough. Let's look at the science behind stress-related illness and, more importantly, how to stay strong when life gets too much.

How Does Stress Impact the Immune System? 

Short-term stress, like getting ready for a presentation or avoiding a car accident, can actually boost your immune system by getting protective cells to work. But long-term stress, like work pressure, caregiving, or worrying about money, has the opposite effect and weakens your immune system over time. The main problem? Cortisol is the main hormone that your body uses to deal with stress. Cortisol helps control inflammation in small amounts, but when levels stay high for weeks or months, it stops immune cells from talking to each other, which slows down the production of white blood cells and antibodies that fight infections.

300 000+ women feel
better with Soula

Support for every woman:

✅ A Personalized Plan to reduce anxiety and overthinking

✅ 24/7 Emotional Support whenever you need it Cycle-Aligned Mental Health Tracking — monitor your mood and symptoms in sync with your period

✅ Real-Time Insights into your energy levels and emotional state

✅ Bite-Sized Exercises to help you return to a calm, balanced state — anytime, anywhere

Discover your anxiety triggers to find calm

Anxiety test

Chronic stress can also cause low-grade inflammation over time. This can make wounds heal more slowly, cause more colds, and even make autoimmune conditions worse. Studies indicate that individuals under stress are twice as susceptible to viral infections. Stress can make vaccines less effective by making antibodies less responsive. Your body gets too busy dealing with "crisis mode" to focus on defense, which makes you open to every bug that comes your way.

Signs Stress Might Be Hurting Your Immune Health

If you seem to get every cold or virus that comes around, or if your illnesses last longer than usual, your body may be telling you that stress has made your defenses weaker. Also, if you get cuts that take a long time to heal, get canker sores often, or get infections that keep coming back (like UTIs or sinusitis), it means your immune system is working too hard. These aren't just annoying; they show that your body doesn't have enough resources to fight off invaders well.

Stress can also affect your gut and nervous system, which can cause bloating, heartburn, or flare-ups of conditions like eczema or IBS. If you also feel tired all the time (even after sleeping) or have anxiety that won't go away, it's clear that your immune system isn't getting the rest it needs to recharge. Not getting enough sleep, whether it's hard to fall asleep or waking up tired, makes the problem worse and makes the cycle of stress and illness worse.

How to Support Your Immune System During Stress

Mindfulness and deep breathing are two powerful ways to deal with stress. Meditation or focused breathing for just 5 to 10 minutes a day has been shown to lower cortisol levels and inflammation. These activities help turn on the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body heal and the immune system work better.

Gentle movement, like walking, yoga, or stretching, helps immune cells move around and lowers stress hormones. Low-impact exercise helps the body heal, unlike intense workouts that can make an already stressed body worse. Also, make sure to get 7 to 9 hours of good sleep every night. This is when your body heals and strengthens its immune system.

Another immune booster that people often forget about is social connection. When you are lonely or alone, inflammation goes up. But when you have positive interactions with other people, oxytocin is released, which helps control stress. It's just as important to set limits. Saying "no" to requests that aren't necessary will help you keep your energy levels up.

To keep your gut healthy, which is where 70% of your immune cells are, eat foods that fight inflammation, like colorful fruits and vegetables, omega-3s (fatty fish, walnuts), and foods high in probiotics (yogurt, kimchi). If you're thinking about taking supplements like vitamin D, zinc, or adaptogens, talk to your doctor about what you need.

Download the app and take the first step toward a life free from anxiety and burnout

You Deserve Rest —
Your Health Depends on It

In a world that praises "pushing through," remember that burnout is not a badge of honor; it is a warning sign. Your health, energy, and immune system are much more important than any deadline or expectation. You don't have to wait until you're sick to make rest a priority.

Start with a small step. Take a deep breath before you check your emails. One healthy meal when you don't have time to eat. One honest "no" to keep your time safe. These small acts of self-care add up to real strength. And what if you're feeling tired? That's not a sign of weakness; it's just your body talking in the only way it knows how. Pay attention to it. You should feel good, not just "get by."