This finding, internationally reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, provides insight into how stress affects the body. Particularly, it shows how stress can weaken a person's health. For example, stress, depression and anxiety prior to surgery have all been associated with poor surgical recovery.

Chronically stressed individuals have increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The Glasers show that these increased levels slow the delivery of immune cells and molecules to injury sites. In turn, this slows the start of the healing process. If the process is slowed at the beginning, the wound will take much longer to heal. Therefore, stress poses serious consequences to patients recovering from major wounds, such as surgery.

This particular study by the Glasers does not address spirituality.