Ever had a stressful day at work and felt tightness in the body? For our Neanderthal forefathers, the fight or flight stress response was an essential component of survival. However in today’s world we face stressful events much more frequently- a fight with a partner or friend, rising costs of living, work dramas, you name it, stress can come from almost anywhere. Over time, the buildup of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol can have detrimental effects on the body. In the short term, stress and tension in the body may manifest as immune system suppression, increased risk of infection, suppressed digestion and metabolism and decrease in vital nutrients. However if left unchecked over time, stress hormone levels in the body will rise and this often results in feeling increasingly anxious, fatigued and prone to mood swings. Chronic stress, or a constant stress experienced over a prolonged period of time can contribute to more severe, long term problems for almost every system in the body. Prolonged stress has been associated with; chronic painful conditions within the musculoskeletal system, breathing disorders such as hyperventilation and asthma within the respiratory system, inflammation of the coronary arteries and heart attacks within the cardiovascular system, Type 2 diabetes within the endocrine system, stomach ulcers within the gastrointestinal system and problems with impotence, PMS and irregular menstruation within the reproductive systems…. And the list goes on!