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Allergic diseases have recently increased dramatically in the western world, now affecting about 30 % of the Swedish population. The reasons for this increase are unclear, but some of the suspects are behavioral factors, such as stress and sleep. Problems with stress are also common today, and stress may change the set-points for the functioning of the body, for instance in the immune system. Sleep, on the other hand, is important for recuperation, and disturbed sleep acts a stressor in itself. Allergic patients often report stressful situations to cause allergic symptom exacerbations, and experience increased fatigue and disturbed sleep, especially when exposed to allergen. However, most aspects of the relations between stress, sleep, and allergy are still obscure. Therefore, this thesis aimed at increasing the understanding of these links. The thesis is based on three studies. The first is a quasi-experimental study of medical students with or without atopy, who were observed at two occasions, i.e. during a calmer study period and during a potentially stressful examination period (papers I & II). Assessments included blood sampling, lung function testing, and questionnaires and diarie