Stress Test

An essential rethinking of stress—what we know, what we think we know, and what we can do to manage the mind-body connection.

Stress is one of the most fundamental human experiences, yet its causes, manifestations, and solutions are still being discovered. In Stress Test, Randi Hutter Epstein traces the history of our understanding of stress, from Ancient Greece to Darwin to now. She examines long-held assumptions about the mind-body connection, questioning claims that stress causes illnesses such as infertility, cancer, and autoimmune disorders, and revealing how some beliefs have fueled flawed treatments and quack remedies.

Drawing on innovative research, Epstein illuminates the effects of stress across a lifetime, from childhood to adolescence to the journey to conceive. She highlights the crucial distinction between manageable stress and the damaging effects of chronic, unrelenting stress. Investigating both emerging treatments and alternative therapies, she offers readers a clear-eyed assessment of what works and what doesn’t. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of stress, learn to recognize moments in which stress becomes overwhelming, and discover practical coping strategies while considering broader community-based solutions.