A 2025 study in Frontiers in Immunology suggests that anxiety and insomnia may quietly alter key immune cells in young women.

Renad M Alhamawi and colleagues at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia conducted a cross-sectional study of female students under 25, using validated questionnaires for anxiety (GAD-7) and insomnia alongside blood tests to examine natural killer (NK) cells, a front-line immune defense against infections and cancer.

They found that 75% of participants reported generalized anxiety symptoms and more than 50% reported insomnia.

Students with anxiety symptoms had lower levels of two main types of circulating NK immune cells compared with peers who did not report symptoms.

Among those with insomnia, higher anxiety scores were linked to a lower proportion of total NK cells in the bloodstream, suggesting that the combination of poor sleep and anxiety may be especially concerning for immune balance.

“These findings suggest that anxiety and sleep disturbances may compromise immune function and contribute to immune dysregulation,” the authors conclude, noting possible implications for future risk of inflammation-related diseases and some cancers in young women.

Because this was a single-site, cross-sectional study in one age group, the results cannot yet be generalized to all populations. Still, the work adds to growing evidence that psychological stressors can shape immune cell profiles even early in adulthood.

The authors argue that raising awareness of these physiological effects could support earlier, non-stigmatizing care for anxiety and insomnia—and, in turn, help protect long-term immune health in young women.

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Adapted from: Alhamawi, R M, Halawani, F A, Hakeem, S F, Alslimi, H A, Alhamawi, E M, Aljohani, A M, Mohammed, I N, Zahid, H M, & Almutawif, Y A. “Insomnia and Anxiety: Exploring Their Hidden Effect on Natural Killer Cells Among Young Female Adults.” Frontiers in Immunology. 2025;16:1698155. doi:10.3389/ f immu.2025.1698155.