The immune system and your brain: they talk to each other

My favorite subject! Your immune system and your brain are not separate — they have a constant "conversation."

When your immune system is quietly fighting something — infection, stress, or certain foods — it releases signals called inflammatory messengers. These messengers travel to the brain and can change how you feel: more tired, more sad, more anxious, or more irritable.

This immune–brain conversation is now well-studied in psychiatry. In many people with depression, anxiety, or low mood, we see signs of much higher inflammation. The brain is listening to the body's immune signals and responds: Stay in bed! Don't do anything! Don't waste energy! Eat, eat, eat sugary things so I don't have to work and waste any energy!

You can help calm this conversation. Simple things — better sleep, regular movement, and choosing less inflammatory foods — can reduce those signals and give your brain a better chance to feel stable and positive.

This is real biology — and you are in control. :)

— Dr. Alicja Wasilewski, MD
Good Mind MD