Anyone who hasn’t heard of the harmful effects of long-term stress on the boy has probably been living under a rock somewhere. We all know too well that worrying over the best motorcycle pads and seats for your bike or stressing about your marriage eventually takes its toll on your health, but short bursts of stress can surprisingly make your immune system stronger.

When under stress, the body releases the hormone cortisol in preparation for danger (also known as the “fight-or flight” response). What cortisol does is it gives a short-term boost to your immune system.

So the next time you feel your heart beat out of your chest before an important presentation at work, that’s alright. You may very well be fending off the cold virus with that momentary stress.