Living life in the fast track may be one route to success, but a new study suggests it also could be a short cut to the sick bed. It seems stress caused by frantic lifestyles also is triggering more coughs and colds.
A medical poll conducted by the Britain's Survey Shop indicates that more than 75 percent of the 1,051 men and women questioned said they felt more stressed out because of the hectic pace at which they were living. Experts say the results show stress is undermining the body's resistance to illness and landing more victims in bed.
Dr. Sarah Brewer, an expert on the subject, says there is a link between stress and allergies and that scientists are paying increasing attention to this connection. The chemicals released in the body during stress can have different effects on the immune system, she says, damping it down or over-stimulating it -- but the result is potentially harmful to health.
According to Brewer, men and women under stress are fully twice as likely to come down with viral illnesses such as colds. They also are more likely to fall victim to allergic conditions such as hay fever and eczema.
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