Chronic or daily stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, stimulating the release of hormones, such as cortisol. A constant saturation of cortisol results in many physical changes in the body, including increased heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. Under normal conditions these changes subside quickly, but chronic stressors, including anxiety, fear, anger, and grief, can keep the nervous system perpetually aroused. Prolonged stress has been found to contribute to illness and lowered immune systems in both human and animal models.



Given the recent findings that show stress contributing to skin problems and diseases, it seems logical to presume that decreasing stress can decrease a person’s amount and duration of illness. The most convincing evidence appears in two small but well-done studies by researchers at the UCLA School of Medicine published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The first study found that malignant melanoma patients trained in relaxation techniques showed significant increases in the number and activity of cancer-slaying natural killer cells. The second study, a recently published six-year follow-up, found higher mortality among the untrained group or those who did not use relaxation techniques.

