Stress is a fact of everyday life - it stimulates activity and creativity, and adds excitement and spice to our lives. But too much stress can have serious implications for our physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being. Dr Chandra Patel identifies the causes of stress and how different people respond to them, and examines how stress contributes to the development and exacerbation of numerous illnesses, such as heart disease and high blood pressure. She then provides simple but effective relaxation techniques which counteract and alleviate the harmful effects of stress, and enhance the quality of our lives.