Mental Health & Immune Health
Long-term stress (and thus poor mental health status) can suppress or dysregulate our immune response by leading to low-grade chronic inflammation in the body, changing the cytokine-protein balance, and changing how the immune-protective cells in our body function.
Stress can also have cascading impacts on areas of our life that can impact our immune system; this includes sleep, eating habits, and activity levels. For some, it may also involve excessive use of alcohol, or other substances (e.g., tobacco, cannabis, other drugs) as part of a maladaptive coping strategy.
It is important that everyone has go-to methods of coping with and relieving stress and/or anxiety in a healthy way, particularly during this time. What works for one person, may not work for another.
Stress-Relieving Activities For Improved Mental Health:
- Exercising
- Connecting with others safely
- Journalling
- Listening to music
- Doing yoga
- Meditating
- Doing deep breathing exercises
- Engaging in hobbies
- Reading
- Baking or cooking
Seeking support from a counsellor or psychologist can also be another avenue to explore, depending on the nature of your concerns (see resources list below).
At Habit Lifestyle Medicine, mental health is one of our top priorities with our clients. We’d love the opportunity to chat with you to determine if we’d be a good fit. Schedule your FREE Health Audit Call with one of our team members today.
Find out more about our programs here.
Main Point
Our mental health can play a role in keeping our immune system functioning optimally. For some, this might mean prioritizing mental health. For others, it might mean more regularly checking-in and adjusting (or developing) healthy coping strategies. Seeking professional support from a counsellor or psychologist, or exploring medical management with a health care provider might also be options depending on the concerns.
Sources:
- Anxiety Canada’s MindShift BC App: https://www.anxietycanada.com/resources/mindshift-cbt/
BC Specific:
- CMHA COVID-19 Mental Health Self-Assessment https://cmhabc.force.com/MentalHealthCheckIn/s/
- https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/virtual-supports-covid-19
- http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/mental-well-being-during-covid-19
- https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/mental-health-covid-19
