No, I did not make a mistake in the title. No, the title is not a trick question. As many of you know, there is thought a connection between bats and the coronavirus which has spread across the planet. Less well understood is that connection. Yesterday, I was watching Fareed Zakaria’s show on CNN, Global Public Square. Among his guests was Dr. Peter Daszak, a British-American zoologist and an expert on disease ecology, in particular on zoonosis. Among other things, he pointed out that bats are the only mammal that can fly, allowing them to spread in large numbers from one community over a wide area. Thus, they can harbor many pathogens or diseases. Flying also requires a tremendous amount of activity for bats, which stresses their immune systems resulting in the systems becoming very specialized. As a student of stress and its management, I did not entirely understand that and so I did some additional investigation. I came across some work by Dr. Andrew Cunningham, Professor of Wildlife Epidemiology at the Zoological Society of London. Dr. Cunningham noted that when bats fly they have a peak body temperature that mimics a fever. He noted that this happens at least twice a day with bats -- when they fly out to feed and when they return to roost. He went on to explain that the pathogens that have evolved in bats have evolved to withstand these peaks of body temperature. So why is this a problem for us humans? Dr. Cunningham went on to observe that this poses a potential problem when these diseases cross into another species. In humans, for example, a fever is a defense mechanism designed to raise the body temperature to kill a virus. A virus that has evolved in a bat (think coronavirus for now) will probably not be affected by a higher body temperature. He went on from that point to discuss increased contact between humans and bats as well as improved travel which allows quicker spread of viruses across our globe. So if bats stress their immune system in their flying activities to the extent that the immune systems have evolved and specialized, what does that mean for us humans and our own immune systems?
We all have heard that among those at risk for being infected with coronavirus are people with compromised immune systems. It is well known that chronic stress responses in humans negatively affect our immune systems. In our book on stress management we discuss this in detail (I Can’t Take It Anymore: How to Manage Stress so It Doesn’t Manage You; Paul G. Longobardi, Ph.D., and Janice B. Longobardi, R.N., B.S.N., P.H.N.). The book is available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1542458056 . For additional information about the book, authors, and stress, please visit our website at www.manageyourhealthandstress.com. But for now, briefly consider our immune system. The main types of immune cells are white blood cells. There are two types of white blood cells – lymphocytes and phagocytes. When we are stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections, including coronavirus. Additionally, the stress hormone cortisol can suppress the effectiveness of the immune system (e.g. lowers the number of lymphocytes). Also, as discussed above, note that our normal tendency to develop a fever to fight off the virus may be less effective for a virus adapted for high temperatures, as in bats. We also know that stress can have an indirect effect on the immune system as a person may use unhealthy behavioral coping strategies to reduce their stress, such as drinking and smoking. Stress has been correlated with a number of health conditions such as headaches, infectious illness (e.g. ‘flu), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, and gastric ulcers.
So the message seems clear. Particularly during these times, what can you do to reduce your stress levels? Well, there are many strategies as I’ve outlined in past posts. From a psychological perspective, connect with your friends and loved ones through phone calls, video chats, texts, and emails. It is well known that we are social beings and to deprive ourselves of social connections via social isolation is to risk even more increases in anxiety and disruption of brain functioning. Yes, stress affects the brain as well. Limit the amount of time each day you tune in to the media for information and updates about the coronavirus, perhaps to the morning and during the evening for brief periods. There’s no need to stay tuned in full time, it will only increase your anxiety. Then there are the basic practical steps you can take to lessen the likelihood of contracting the virus. These include to avoid unnecessary travel and crowds. Wash your hands often with soap and water (or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer) for 20 seconds. Keep your hands away from your face, especially your eyes, mouth, and nose. How can you relax despite worries about the coronavirus? Get some regular exercise, it reduces tension and helps you sleep better. Try relaxation and/or breathing strategies such as yoga, meditation, controlled breathing. There are apps on the internet as well as You Tube videos to help guide you. Some apps teach simple forms of meditation such as Headspace. Find other ways you like to relax. Read a book you’ve wanted to do, engage in a home project, watch a favorite relaxing television program. Eat your favorite foods. And, as mentioned above, stay in contact with friends and loved ones. You can help them and they can help you. Relaxation helps stimulate the prefrontal cortical areas thus calming your brain.
So yes, there is a connection among bats, your immune system, stress, and the coronavirus. Good luck on your journey to reduced stress and increased well being in these challenging times.
Dr. Paul Longobardi
For additional information about these and related matters, please visit my website at www.successandmindset.com