Stress Can Weaken Teens’ Immune Systems—Here’s How to Protect Them

You can’t stop stress from happening in your teen’s life (and a little of it may even be good for them) but stress overload may put them at risk of getting sick.

Teens in high gear (and under high stress) due to midterms, college applications, and other academic stressors could be more susceptible to catching a virus. Why? Because the link between stress and sickness is real for all of us, according to research from the Cleveland Clinic and other health experts. This is especially true in the winter when stomach bugs, common colds, and the flu float around schools. 

We reached out to mental health and medical experts to learn more about the link between stress and sickness, why it happens, and how teens can avoid getting sick when they are stressed out. 

Stress Can Weaken Teens’ Immune Sytems

“The mind and body are intrinsically linked and ongoing stress can take a direct toll on the immune system,” shares Dr. Monika Roots, child psychiatrist and co-founder at Bend Health, a provider of pediatric mental healthcare. 

She explains that the release of stress hormones, including cortisol, can impact the immune system and that chronic stress can decrease white blood cells, which are needed to help the body fight off infections. When teens are overextended, studying all night, juggling academic and personal obligations while neglecting self-care, it creates a perfect condition for getting sick.

“Stress also causes the release of inflammatory markers, which puts individuals at risk for a weakened immune system and many other chronic conditions,” says Dr. Roots, adding that in times of high stress, “it’s important to encourage your teen to slow down and focus on taking care of their body and their mind.” Especially during midterms, finals, SATs, and other high-stakes events.

Tips for Lowering Stress and Supporting the Immune System

We asked the experts for recommendations for helping your teen stay healthy (mentally and physically) this winter (and beyond). Here’s what they suggested: 

Get Enough Sleep

Most teens aren’t getting enough rest– on average, teens are only sleeping 7 to 7 and a quarter hours. And they need so much more, especially when they are stressed out. 

Dr. Roots recommends up to 10 hours a night, especially during high-stress periods. “Because it allows the body and mind to recharge, supports the immune system, helps with emotional regulations, and boosts cognitive functionality,” she explains. 

Help your teen create a sleep schedule that includes putting all electronic devices away at least two hours before bedtime, keeping the room dark and cool, and suggesting calming activities before sleep, recommends Dr. Roots. 

Create Coping Tools

Taking a walk in nature, making or eating a nutritious meal, creating a journaling practice, trying simple breathing exercises, or trying a new meditation app are all ways for a teen to create calm in their lives and lower stress levels. Teens who train themselves to use mindful exercises to reduce stress experience much less of it than those who do not.

Take Tech Breaks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics reports that about half of teens overall have screen time (not counting schoolwork) four or more hours a day. Using so much technology (phones, video game consoles, and other devices) may raise stress levels, not reduce them. Encourage your teen to “unplug” with tech breaks from their laptops and phones, and suggest that they set time limits on apps and social media. 

Help Them to Plan Ahead

If your teen has an upcoming event that may likely trigger stress, help them plan for it–suggest a study schedule for planned breaks, and offer to work to create an action plan. “Getting organized can be a big help,” says Dr. Roots. Encourage your teen to use a day planner or digital calendar or help them make “to-do” lists, all of which can make it easier to manage deadlines. 

Remind Them to Eat Nutritious Foods and Hydrate

Caffeine and sugar may be what your teen reaches for during study sessions, but they are likely doing more harm than good. Stocking study snack alternatives like protein bars, nuts, and fruit will help them feel their best under stress. In addition, providing nutritious meals, like soups and warm, comforting food, can help lower stress levels as well. 

Maybe your teen carries around their Stanley cup at all times, but you should still remind them to hydrate because dehydration can affect the body’s function and put you at risk for anxiety, says Dr. Roots. “A lack of hydration can affect the body’s function and put you at a greater risk for anxiety,” says Dr. Roots. “Remind them to drink lots of water.” 

Under Pressure: Is Your Teen Anxious, Sick or Both? 

“Every person is unique, but stress and anxiety can cause physical symptoms including headaches, stomach aches, and muscle pain–all of which can feel like the flu,” says Dr. Roots. Often, teens may “feel” sick when they are really just anxious.

“Teens are becoming very in tune with their physical changes, and this includes physical symptoms like headaches, stomach aches, pain, agitation, and restlessness, “ says Dr. Erica Kalkut, a pediatric neuropsychologist and executive clinical director at LifeStance Health. “In combination, many youths are primed to focus on their physical symptoms and attribute their physical well-being first to an illness rather than something less tangible, like stress.” 

Dr. Kalkut shares that “stress, like pain, can be difficult to quantify since the severity depends both on what someone considers stressful and how much it affects them.” So, it’s important to talk to your teen and offer supportive communication. Ask them about how they are feeling, and take them to a doctor for physical symptoms to make sure they aren’t sick with the flu or other virus.

When teens get sick in the middle of a stressful time, help them navigate the situation to avoid adding stress. Let your teen know it’s okay to take breaks for their health and help them plan how to make up any assignments or tests. 

In a society where adults often come to work sick, teaching teens to take care of themselves is important. Don’t send a sick teen to school (even if they want to go) if they are contagious or feeling extremely unwell. “You always want to follow the advice of your medical doctor to treat any physical symptoms,” says Dr. Kalkut. “And remind your teen to take steps to take care of [their] brain and mental health when they aren’t feeling well, too, because when the body feels sick, it needs time to rest and recover.”