Life is full of frustrations, deadlines, demands, overstimulation, and pressure. Stress is in- evitable in some form or another. Our modern way of life is a breeding ground for stress, and very few, if any, of us are immune.

Some people experience mild or moderate stress continuously and become accustomed to it, never actually noticing its impact or having their responses to stress put to the test by pro-longed and intense challenges. There are others who are simply more adept at handling stress and not letting it control them, by virtue of their natural disposition and personality traits. For most of us, however, stress plays an important role in our lives—even if we have yet to truly appreciate its impact—and its effects on us are both psychological and physical.