Emotions are feelings that emerge as a result of stimulation from both inside and outside. In psychology, emotions are part of human feelings that can be positive (happy) or negative emotions (anger, sadness, or depression). According to some studies, a person's emotions can affect his/her overall health. Including disrupting his/her immune system, and as a result, increase the risk of chronic diseases.

Negative emotions such as stress or chronic anxiety are known to be able to affect physical health. Study results also showed that chronic stress could have an adverse effect on a person's memory and increase the risk of heart-related diseases. Recently, it was discovered in a research conducted by Pennsylvania State University that negative emotions can affect the response of the immune system.

In this research, experts collected data by giving several questionnaires to participants, with the aim of knowing their feelings from time to time for two weeks. In addition, the researchers also took blood samples from each participant to measure their immune response and look for signs of inflammation. Inflammation is one of the immune responses that occur when the body is aware of an infection or injury.

As a result, those who experience negative emotions several times per day over a long period of time had higher levels of inflammation in their blood samples. The experts further explained that blood samples were taken shortly after participants experienced negative emotions such as sadness or anger, and found that biomarkers of inflammation appeared at a higher level. Different results were shown when participants experienced positive emotions. Even though it only lasted a while, the level of inflammation was found to be much lower. Unfortunately, this was only found in male participants.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Engeland, J. E. G., Sin, N. L., Smyth, J. M., et al (2018). Negative and positive affect as predictors of inflammation: Timing matters. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 74: 222-230, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2018.09.011.
• Medical News Today - How do our emotions affect our immune response? (2018). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324090.php, January 14, 2019.