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HOW FIGHTING & ARGUING AFFECTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM The lockdown was a challenging time for many reasons, especially if you found there were more arguments between you and your partner. But did you know that the stress of fighting and arguing can affect your immune system? Couples who fight and argue regularly, especially those who use insults, put-downs and sarcasm on their partner, have fewer virus-fighting natural killer cells, and take longer to recover from injuries, than those who argue in a positive way. Research has shown that unhappy marriages and stressed relationships weaken the immune system, while couples with healthy relationships have 35% fewer illnesses The big problem with arguments is the stress that they cause to both you and your partner. Arguing can quickly become a habit if either of you are carrying over resentment from a previous disagreement 30 | JUNE-JULY 2020 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD
or are fearful or frustrated about something on an ongoing basis. These feelings can come out as outright hostility when even a small disagreement starts. This quickly sets the tone for an argument and reduces the chances of resolving it, which in turn carries over more resentment to the next disagreement. Why is stress unhealthy? Chronic stress is proven to affect the immune function. The ability of the immune system to function healthily and combat disease and
