Science has noticed that insomnia and anxiety tend to be accompanied by a weaker immune system. The decline of a key immune cell could be a culprit.
Stress, anxiety and sleepless nights do more than corrode peace of mind… they can also weaken the body’s defenses, making us more susceptible to infections, cancers and autoimmune diseases.
Scientists have discovered a mechanism that could link these psychological factors to immunity problems.
In a study this Wednesday, in Frontiers in Immunologyresearchers from Taibah University (Saudi Arabia) have revealed a type of immune cell called “natural killer” (NK) can play a key role in such scenarios.
The investigation was inspired by one carried out in Saudi Arabia which showed that generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) was increasing, and that the trend was more pronounced in women.
As people with GAD experience constant, uncontrollable worryand your worry is typically more intense than the situation requires; this can cause a variety of associated symptoms, including sleep problems.
Do you know what this study led to the immunologist and leader of the new investigation, Renad Alhamawiexploring how anxiety could affect immunity among women.
In the new study, researchers recruited 60 female students between the ages of 17 and 23 and asked them to complete a questionnaire about their mental health.
Responses showed that 75% reported symptoms consistent with GAD — such as feeling nervous, being so restless that it is difficult to sit still, or becoming easily irritable — including 13% with severe symptoms. About 53% (32 students) reported not getting enough sleep.
Blood samples were then collected from the participants, and the levels of various immune cells were assessed. It was found that those who had anxiety-like symptoms had 38% fewer NK cells than those without symptoms.
It is important to highlight, however, that it is not clear what factors may be behind this change in the abundance of NK cells in the bloodstream.
