ABSTRACT

Performance and endurance enhancers Stress results when a person is overwhelmed by events and is unable to adapt to them. The condition may be induced by such factors as disease, inappropriate environmental factors, pressures associated with the workplace, inadequate rest, or other physical, chemical, or emotional factors that cause bodily or mental tension. Response to the condition differs for each individual, varying according to the subject’s makeup and personality. It may affect mental functions, causing anxiety, depression, fear, guilt, or many other subjective responses. It is well known that, by influencing the autonomic nervous system, stress can also affect bodily functions such as increasing blood pressure, heart rate, sweating, and bowel movements; causing dry mouth and pupillodilation; and altering sleep patterns.