Stress is never something that people want to have, but unfortunately, stress is something that is hard to get away from in this day and age. It will affect us all in different ways, but when it comes to women’s health, there are some issues that can affect them deeply which can manifest in physical symptoms as well as mental health problems.
When a woman deals with chronic stress that creates problems for their mental and physical health, they may find it hard to shake, especially if the stress they are experiencing is ongoing and hard to calm down.
Knowing how stress affects women can help them see what they need to change so that it doesn’t turn into long term stress which may cause a weakened immune system from chronic stress hormones.
What Is Stress?
If you don’t know what stress is, then you are certainly one of the lucky ones. Stress is your body’s response to events that are happening in your life. For instance, if you have poverty and financial worries you may experience elevated levels of stress that may result in high blood pressure, upset stomach, muscle tension, and so on.
Stress is a natural response, however, if it keeps occurring and moves from short term stress to long term stress, then it can become destructive and cause ongoing chronic issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, weight gain, and may cause you to develop mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
How Does Stress Affect Women’s Health
Men and women can have some of the same stress symptoms, but there are some differences. Here is a list that incorporates what the stress response in the body can do.
Depression & Anxiety
As previously stated, chronic stress can cause mental health conditions including depression and anxiety, however, compared with men, women are more prone to developing anxiety, and they are also nearly twice as likely to experience symptoms of depression. They may feel the symptoms of stress a lot more than men too which raises their risk of having issues with their mental health.
Stomach Issues
A burst of short term stress can affect the stomach which may cause vomiting and diarrhea as an immediate response, but once that stress turns chronic, it can cause IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), which is noted to be a lot more common in women than in men, once again. The symptoms of stress on the bowel can also make women bloat a lot more.
Heart Disease Risk
When the body is going through a period of stress, the stress hormones will have an effect on blood vessels making them constrict to make way for oxygen to be sent to the muscles to get the fight or flight response ready.
Because of this, the heart rate and blood pressure increase which can cause heart problems over time if the stress is ongoing. Heart attack and stroke are a possibility in this instance.
Hair Loss
Stress floods your body with cortisol, which pushes your hair follicles into the resting, or telogen, stage of their cycle. Once a hair is in the resting phase, it takes a few months for it to fall out. If all of your hair is in the resting phase as a result of your stress, it will all fall out at around the same time, resulting in noticeable hair loss. This is reversible, but if you’re chronically stressed, your hair follicles may suffer. Hair may grow back thinner, which may cause you more stress. Luckily, you can explore the option of a denver hair transplant (or wherever you are) to restore your body confidence and bring your stress levels back down.
Problems With The Menstrual Cycle
Women may develop severe premenstrual syndrome symptoms and irregular periods if they deal with chronic stress. If a woman’s period is irregular or there are symptoms that cause them to be in a lot of pain, then they will need to have that checked out as soon as possible to see if they can get a diagnosis.
It may turn out to be their stress levels that are causing the menstrual problems, but they won’t know unless they see a specialist.
Fertility Problems
Women who experience stress consistently will find it harder to get pregnant, and if they are stressed because they can’t get pregnant it can make the situation worse for them. Stress management is an important factor here, but with something as delicate as fertility, it is hard to stop that from being an issue.
Obesity
Gaining weight and stress is, unfortunately, a lot higher in women than it is in men. The stress hormone, known as cortisol, can lead to overeating as well as make the body store more fat, so it is harder to lose the weight. Obesity can also have negative effects on periods, and even with physical activity added to daily life, stress can still take over and affect the stored fat.
Why Do Women React Differently To Stress?
It is true, studies over the years have shown that women do react differently to stress than men do, and they will experience symptoms of stress in a larger capacity, but what is the reason behind their stress levels putting them at a higher risk of problems within their bodies?
The answer – no one really knows. It could be to do with how men and women process stress hormones differently and how stress affects women by causing problems such as mood swings and high anxiety. Despite this being what is most likely the issue, more research needs to be done as to why as well as the reason behind the change to it over the years.
What Can Women Do To Reduce Stress?
Knowing how to manage stress to lead a healthy life is very important. If stress symptoms are not dealt with appropriately it can lead to more trouble in the body and could potentially lead to substance abuse and other negative coping strategies that will cause a myriad of other problems along the way.
It is essential to figure out the best course of action when managing stress so that a brighter future can be had.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is a cure for many ills, it relaxes the body and mind and can help you stay focused and alert when needed. Stress can take away a good night’s sleep, and very little sleep can elevate stress levels. They go hand in hand, so to handle stress, getting to the root cause can help with a good night’s sleep.
Speak to a Therapist
Therapy can be perfect for people who are dealing with depression, stress, anxiety, and similar other problems. It can help to uncover the root cause of an individual’s problem and aid them in creating positive, lasting change.
Traumatic events and stressful events in general can simmer under the surface until they are let loose which can cause overwhelming stress. Speaking to a therapist, such as those affiliated with this North Essex Mental Health Trust, will help people understand and process their emotions. This can lead to a better understanding of the underlying causes of their stress and help them develop coping mechanisms.
Eat Healthily
Eating nutritious food and staying hydrated can help combat stress in the body. Staying away from high-sugar foods, salty snacks, and high-fat meals will aid the body in reducing stress, plus it will stop obesity and other health conditions that can affect the heart.
Stress-relieving Supplements
To manage stress, it can be beneficial to use stress-relieving supplements like magnesium, melatonin, and cannabis concentrates (like bubble hash). These supplements can help to reduce stress symptoms, such as tension, anxiety, and irritability. It is important to note, however, that these should only be taken in moderation and consulted with a doctor before use.
Excercise
Being physically active is a good way at keeping stress at bay. It improves mood and can stop body aches that can come from when muscles tense up. Making it a daily habit to walk, run, swim, do yoga, etc., will be incredibly beneficial to the body and calm down the common symptoms associated with stress.
What Else Can Be Done?
Here are a handful of other things that people may want to try when they are getting stressed.
- Meditation
- Deep breathing
- Stretching
- Speak to friends and family
- Be social
- Practice gratitude
Some of these may work out better than others. Sometimes it might just be a self-care issue. Sometimes stress consumes us so completely that we forget to look after ourselves and treat ourselves right. We’ve obviously talked about how stress can take a toll on physical health, but this also includes affecting a person’s appearance, making them age faster. Sometimes the way to fight back can be as easy as allowing yourself to go to a weekend spa retreat or perhaps undertake microneedling treatment to take some years off your face. A shift of personal aesthetics. That alone could be the gateway to help reduce stress significantly. The important thing to remember is that it is different for everyone, so trying new things will help attack the stress problems from all different angles.
Conclusion
It is not easy dealing with stress, it can cause a lot of upset in life and make people feel bad about themselves and their situation. Women who are going through stress know how hard they have it and how badly they want to change what is happening. Hopefully, people can see why it is crucial to see what stress does and how it needs to be tackled for better health.
