... role in many of the diseases of middle adulthood; it has been identified as being associated with cardiovascular disease, reduced immunological resistance to diseases and psychosomatic distress, to name a few. In 1936, Hans Selye, the father of stress research, defined stress as the body's response to any demand placed on it. He discovered the General Adaptation Syndrome, which consists of three stages: the alarm, the resistance, and exhaustion. The alarm stage is the first immediate reaction to a stressor. But this initial response can decrease the effectiveness of the immune system, making persons more susceptible to illness during this phase. The second phase, stage of resistance, is if the stress continues, the body adapts to the stressors. Changes at many levels take place in order to reduce the effect of the stressor. The stage of exhaustion is the last stage, where the body's resistance to the stress may gradually ...

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