{"id":752,"date":"2025-06-05T12:18:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T12:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/telyrx.com\/blog\/?p=752"},"modified":"2026-03-13T20:42:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T20:42:28","slug":"connection-between-stress-and-allergy-flare-ups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/telyrx.com\/blog\/mental-health\/mindful-living\/connection-between-stress-and-allergy-flare-ups\/","title":{"rendered":"The Connection Between Stress and Allergy Flare-Ups"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Reviewed by Adam Gardner<\/a>, Licensed Pharmacist & COO of TelyRx<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"a\n
Allergies got you down? Lowering your stress levels may help.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that more than 100 million people in the U.S. experience various types of allergies each year? According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA),<\/a> nearly 1 in 3 adults and more than 1 in 4 children deal with seasonal allergies, eczema, or food allergies.<\/p>

While allergens themselves trigger symptoms, both emotional and physical stress can make those flare-ups worse. Stress doesn\u2019t cause allergies on its own, but it can influence how your body responds to allergens and how intensely you experience symptoms.<\/p>

For those of us with chronic allergic conditions, managing stress may play a supportive role in keeping symptoms under control.<\/p>

Let\u2019s face it, today\u2019s fast-paced lifestyle doesn\u2019t make avoiding stress easy. Work deadlines, financial pressures, social obligations, and even digital overload can all contribute to our stress levels rising.<\/p>

When this type of stress becomes a regular part of life, it influences more than just your mood; it may also interfere with how your body manages chronic conditions like allergies. Let\u2019s look at what the research says about the relationship between stress and allergy flare-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A\n
Research supports stress playing a role in allergy flare ups.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When your body perceives a threat, whether it\u2019s physical danger or psychological stress, it activates your sympathetic nervous system, releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are meant to help you respond quickly, but when they\u2019re constantly activated, they can have some not-so-great long-term impacts.<\/p>

Long-term stress has been shown to interfere with the regulation of the immune system, increasing your susceptibility to inflammatory conditions, including allergies. A study published in Pubmed<\/a> found that individuals under perceived stress or experiencing negative emotions had more frequent allergy flare-ups.<\/p>

Other findings have shown that psychological stress may exacerbate conditions<\/a> like asthma and atopic dermatitis by increasing the release of inflammatory mediators from mast cells.<\/p>

Additional studies have discovered that people who experienced repeated stressful events over two weeks had higher levels of inflammatory markers associated with allergic responses. These inflammatory markers, including cytokines, play a role in how the immune system reacts to perceived threats, including allergens.<\/p>

Not everyone with allergies experiences worsened symptoms under stress, but many do report a noticeable difference during particularly stressful periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An\n
Stress affects our immune system, leading to an increased risk of downtime in bed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stress affects the immune system in multiple ways, some of which may directly influence allergy symptoms:<\/p>