As long ago as 1956, Hans Selye, an endocrinologist, defined stress as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it, and termed the demands made upon the body as stressors. These stressors can also be acute, intermittent, or chronic. Acute stress hits hard and quickly being robbed, being in a car accident, or having a disagreement with a spouse. Intermittent stress lasts over a longer period of time and builds up think of studying for an important exam, then having to pay taxes, and then being put in charge of an important project. When intermittent stressors continually reoccur, they can become chronic stressors.
Chronic stressors are long term and become part of life.
Examples include continuing in a job you dislike, eating a diet low in important nutrients, caring long term for a loved one, dealing with a degenerative disease, or experiencing a never-ending stream of intermittent stressors. If the stress is short-lived an acute stressor the body quickly returns to normal. However, if stress continues as in intermittent or chronic stressors the body s stress response mechanism continues, and it may aggravate an existing health problem or trigger an illness for which you re at risk. This should not be taken lightly. Various surveys estimate that stress contributes to 80 percent of major illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, digestive diseases, mental disorders, injuries, nervous system and sensory organ diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, cancers, endocrine and metabolic diseases, skin disorders, and infectious ailments of all kinds.