I am noticing an embarassing pattern in my health and teh connections to moments of fear.

When I have exams to write or presentations to give or major research papers coming due, I get sick. Is this simply a psychological response to fear or is it actually a connection between stress and immunization? I am feeling more suspicious of my own health in these matters. Am I simply creating my own colds, sniffles, joint pains and such because of my fears of judgement?

How do I determine this? I know that in university, it is common for people to get ill around exams time because of stresses and teh close contact with thousands of other students, staff and faculty. But, I am finishing this degree at home this year. I have had some valid illnesses like last winter's serious respiratory infections going around. This moment of anxiety coming though, I have begun to feel joint pains, nonspecific symptoms of discomfort, back aches, and disrupted sleeping patterns.