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How is stress related to the immune system and physical illness?

I have been feeling a little stressed lately and was feeling kind of weak during my workouts. If I understand what is happening inside then I might be able to balance everything out. My older sister said it has to do with the immune system and physical illness. She said that some immune system cells get affected by stress. Is that true and why only some? (sorry for two questions in one) When I say working out, I mean mostly just running hence the name crazyrunner9. Also I was looking for more of a scientific answer.

Public Comments

1. Stress can take its toll on all aspects of your body from your physical to your mental, some people loos their hair, some loss their appetite for extended periods of time, when your under stress your body dosent regulate your hormones or other body chemicals correctly so you will feel off. The only way to fix is to figure out what is giving you the stress and think of a way that you can work so as to releive the stress.
2. You ask a good question. Yes, your immune system can be affected by stress and in a negative way, but I admit I don't quite understand the mechanism of action. But I would suspect that, with you, two things are happening. First of all, by working out, you're doing two things: Strengthening your immune system and battling negative stress in a positive way. But you said that you were feeling a little weak during your workouts. How much weight are you working out with and are you eating before your workout? I ask that because I would suspect two things: One, that you're possible lifting too much weight or too many reps and/or two, that you aren't providing your body with enough fuel when you work out. But you are strengthening your immune system and battling negative stress by working out and releasing endorphins through the body.
3. It is no secret that there is a relationship between stress and the immune system. Chronic or long term stress of the immune system does affect our bodies health differently. People who are under chronic stress have lower than normal white blood cell counts, are more vulnerable to colds and other viruses and take longer to recover from them. They also can experience fatigue. They are more likely to experience more severe symptoms than people who are not under a great deal of stress. Chronic stress will suppress the immune system if we don’t respond properly. Financial pressures, health worries, challenging relationships, strenuous work or family responsibilities can all stress the immune system. Questions concerning stress typically refer to chronic stress, but did you know that some stress boost the immune system? Short term or acute stress can strengthen the immune system. Acute stress and the immune system reactions happen when you experience a fearful situation. For example, when a persons life is threaten by a robber, their reaction is referred to as stress. Responses to acute stress affect the immune system by triggering the spleen to discharge more white blood cells and directing those white blood cells to portions of the body that are more likely to be injured by an attack. At the same time, responses to this acute stress affect the immune system by reducing less important cellular activities temporarily.