you can begin to modify your situation. Some suggestions to reduce stress are to exercise; it strengthens the heart and lungs while bathing the brain in endorphins to reduce pain. You can also practice stress management techniques ranging from prayer, to biofeedback, to simple walks on the beach to feel inner peace. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and investing in hobbies and leisure activities can do the same and more. Literature ReviewMy review of the current literature indicated a link between stress and illness. However, it was unclear whether or not illness is more likely to be related to perceived stress, rather than actual life events which are considered stressful. Personality may also factor in the relationship between stress and illness. Correlations between illness, personality type, and/or stress have been found. For example, the Type A personality has been associated with a higher incidence of heart disease. Neuroticism has also been linked to higher incidences of stress related illness (Hoffman, Levy-Shiff, and Malinski, 1996). An investigation published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a lack of diverse social contacts was correlated with greater risks of colds. This risk outweighed other factors such as smoking, low vitamin C intake or elevated stress hormones (“Harvard Health Letter”, 1998). People who are more likely to have social contact probably score higher on scales of extroversion, which indicate an outgoing, sociable personality. Studies of extroversion have shown that this trait may ameliorate the negative effects of stressful events (Hoffman, Levy-Shiff, and Malinski, 1996). Therefore, it is the opinion of this author that people who score higher on the aspect of extroversion will experience fewer physical ailments related to life stress than people who are less extroverted.However, can it be said with certainty that everyone or even most ...
