5 Mindful Tips to Beat Stress and Boost Your Immune System

Feeling strong and often uncomfortable emotions during challenging times is completely natural. And while it may be tempting to suppress anger, sadness, grief, and frustration, mental health experts say that doing so can physically stress your body and negatively impact your immunity and well-being.

- By Ann Swanson

When your body is under significant physical or emotional pressure, it has to work harder to find and maintain balance. Fortunately, yoga can help us regain equilibrium during stressful seasons and transforms distress into eustress, known as beneficial stress that helps build resilience. So try to embrace feeling unsettled, and rely on your practice to help you navigate these difficult emotions.

YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AT WORK

Your immune system illustrates your body’s intrinsic ability to heal. It fights foreign invaders by sending an army of white blood cells through the bloodstream and a fluid called lymph through your lymphatic system. If you’ve ever noticed swelling on your neck when you’re feeling unwell, that’s your lymphatic system in action. Lymph nodes become sensitive and swell in response to illness, stress, or infection; this is a sign that your lymphatic system is working to flush out infection-causing bacteria, viruses, dead or diseased cells, and other antigens—substances that trigger an immune response. Asana and pranayama aid this filtering process by encouraging flow and movement of lymph.

BREAKING THE STRESS CYCLE

Not all stress is bad. Positive challenges, such as getting a promotion or pursuing a new hobby, help you grow and build resilience in the process.