The fight or flight response to stress is our body's reaction to what is perceived as a threat. The fabled saber toothed tiger was a real threat to primitive man whose body reacted by pumping fresh blood and oxygen to the muscles so he could escape the tiger by running fast.

The hormones that result from stress can be helpful to us if the stress is not too severe or too prolonged. After observing professional entertainers and performers, psychologists made the distinction between a CHALLENGE STRESS and a THREAT STRESS. Some singers routinely have nausea attacks before taking the stage and then give an outstanding performance. Other performers like dancers, athletes, and actors describe their pre-performance anxiety or stress as a way to keep them focused. They say it actually stimulates (excites) them to achieve their greatest performances. We will see this played out in the summer Olympics, when athletes will respond to a CHALLENGE STRESS by achieving personal bests or even world records that seemed beyond their capacity.