 |
|
From a woman's perspective, stress is perhaps one of the most unrecognised conditions affecting womens health today.
There are a variety of reasons why women can experience stress, yet may not be fully aware of the extent of stress she is living with.
If you're a stay at home mum, a career driven woman, a part-timer or you can put your hand up to all three of these life circumstances, then its time to become more curious about how stress affects health - your health!
You see, stress doesn't just arise out of the more obvious and well recognised traumatic life events such as separation, divorce, retirement, accidents/personal injury, a stressful job, marriage, buying/moving house, or even the death of a partner.
Stress is increasingly becoming a real health issue in women, especially those performing a daily juggling act of fulfilling their many roles and responsibilities of career woman, mother, wife/partner, carer, cook, housekeeper, chaufer etc., it can be extremely difficult to maintain a calm and relaxed state with such hectic lifestyles.
You could be forgiven for thinking that with all this going on in your life, that it's near impossible to find time for relaxation or to de-stress. But find time you must. Stress affects health on many levels and it's up to you to find time for you - since your health and wellbeing depends on it.
How stress becomes a health issue in women
Short bursts of stress is part and parcel of daily life, which everyone experiences. For instance, being late for that important appointment, missing your train, getting lost during a journey, or even contemplating how you're going to fit the equivalent of five days into one.
These common every day events can make you feel worried or anxious in the short-term but the effects can be culminative over time, taking its toll on your body and health.
Longer-term stresses brought about by dis-empowering life events such as experiencing racial discrimination, divorce, bereavement, serious illness etc., can profoundly affect your health on many levels, thus increasing your risk of serious health issues such as depression.
While some degree of short-term day to day stress is a normal part of daily life, an unremitting amount of stress, whether it be short-term or longer-term, can trigger changes in your body thus worsening health conditions and/or leading to more serious illnesses and diseases.
Stress as a health issue
in women
Stress affects health in many ways and on many levels. Here are some common symptoms from a long list of stress-related conditions, some of which represent early signs of stress becoming a health issue in women:
Despite this however, there is some good news for us women. It would appear that women have some inbuilt protective mechanisms against stress. How? This health issue in women, according to research, may be less damaging to us than to our men folk. It has been shown that certain chemicals within women make us unique in terms of how we react to and cope with stress.
Stress busting facts about this health issue in women
Both men and women can relate to those stressful incidences of road rage - honking and tonking when you feel someone has cut you up on the road. We can also relate to the arguments with our partners, challenging duels with our children, or those confrontations in the workplace (few and far between I hope).
While these stressful events can present a health issue in women as well as in men, some researchers are of the opinion that women handle this stress uniquely. The theory goes that women have a unique capacity to 'tend' and 'befriend'.
How do we do this? By looking after our children, we are tending, protecting and caring for them and it would seem that we're especially good at this even when we're experiencing stress. Another brownie point for us women is that during times of stress we are good at finding and using support from our female friends - befriending.
However, it's not just down to these two factors alone; our bodies make chemicals that are believed to promote these responses. One of these chemicals (according to womens health.gov), is oxytocin, pronounced (ox-see-toe-sin), which is supposed to have a calming effect during stress.
It is apparently the same chemical that is released during child birth and is also found at higher levels in breastfeeding mothers, whom, would you believe, are said to be calmer and more social than women who don’t breastfeed.
In addition, because we also have the hormone estrogen, this further serves to boosts the effects of oxytocin.
For the men in your life however, the picture is less rosy. Men experience high levels of testosterone during stress, which effectively blocks the calming effects of oxytocin and causes hostility, withdrawal, and anger. Yikes! Cut them some slack ladies by compromising - there's a good reason for those moods! Doing so will also help you minimise your stress levels. Believe that!
This is no excuse though for 'resting on your laurels'. Stress is and continue to be a significant short and long-term health issue in women.
health issue in
women Self-Help stress management
Womens' unwavering sense of duty and responsibility toward family, children, home and work can often make us unaware of the extent of our stress levels and the consequences of this health issue in women of every age, creed and origin.
However, it is crucial to your health and wellbeing to be able to recognise early signals of stress and know when it is affecting you.
The following offer some suggestions for minimising and combating stress:
(TM). ,
meditation, and massage therapy
Stress represent a very understated health issue in women. The
the above are just a few of the many strategies you can
employ in your stress-reduction/busting efforts. You'll find
a wealth of resources, health and wellness womens exercises throughout the site, that can help you on your way to a happier, healthier and balanced life.
"You have within you right now,
everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw
at you". (Brian Tracy)
The information on this site is purely of educational value and is not intended to replace your seeking medical advice. You must consult your doctor over all your health concerns.
Subscribe To Health Womens
Free Newsletter, 'Inside Insight'
and receive up to date
information, news, healthy eating recipes/tips and beauty secrets + FREE goal setting forms
Return From Health Issue In Women To Health Womens Healthy Living Goals Home Page
