Stress is defined as an acute threat to the homeostasis (balance) of an organism. It may be classified as real (physical, such as pain) or perceived (psychological, such as work deadline) and posed by events in the outside world or from within. Our nervous system is unable to differentiate the stress of trying to pay bills following the loss of a job, dealing with a death in the family or trying the balance the many commitments of work and family life. The physiological response for all the scenarios is the same. Stress, evokes adaptive responses that serve to defend the stability of the internal environment and ensure our survival.