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Stress, it’s a killer. We’ve undoubtedly heard this before, and joke about it regularly in our offices. But are we really aware of the effects stress can have on our health? As women, it’s important to know that it can disrupt your menstrual cycle, cause severe cramps, premenstrual syndrome, infertility, complicated menopause as well as lead to migraines and headaches. It affects your health and wellness.
Women who sacrifice their time and energy for others tend to feel bitter and stressed. These stress levels are also increased at the workplace. Over-eating may be seen as a way of getting nourishment for their emotional needs and a stressed metabolism leads to the formation of free radicals and oxidative stress.
Females react differently to stress than males because females feel the need to protect their young in problematic situations.
Hormones also play a role in dealing with stress. Men have testosterone, in addition to hormones like adrenalin, noradrenalin and cortisol. Studies suggest that women produce oxytocin which reduces fear and gives them feelings of relaxation. Oxytocin is also involved in childbirth and social interaction.
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- Increased breathing rate resulting in more oxygen.
- Heart rate increases so that oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the muscles and bones.
- Thyroid gland secretes more thyroid hormones to accelerate the metabolism, needed for stress response.
- Muscles tense for reactions like running.
- Blood sugar levels rises resulting in more energy.
- Blood has an increased tendency to clot.
- Body cells store fat for energy.
Stress can be both beneficial and harmful to you. It can be beneficial in a self motivating way through personal achievement. However, this stress may easily spin out of control. This can affect your health and lead to severe medical conditions that can land you in the emergency room. According to the American Psychological Association, 43% of adults suffer from stress related health complications and 70-90% of all visits to the doctor are stress related.
With women having busy lifestyles and having to juggle between their professional lives, education, and families, career advancements, child and elderly care, it’s no wonder all these factors add to the stress they feel. Women often feel pressured to balance work and family life and end up stressed if they fail.
Working mothers, regardless of their marital status, experience the most stress. Uncontrolled stress can lead to depression and anxiety, which may even trigger illnesses such as high blood pressure, eczema and asthma. Exhaustion from chronic stress tends to happen when the body cannot rest in order to recover.
Symptoms of a stressed woman include: fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, overeating, insomnia, digestive problems, rashes and other skin diseases. The number of women with heart disease and alcoholism has seriously increased.
Digestive problems are often the result of stress. Blood and energy is diverted from the stomach and digestive system to the muscles. Women constantly under stress suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, gastritis, constipation and other digestive tract conditions. Weight gain around the abdomen is also a result of stress. Stress hormone cortisol is a strong appetite stimulant and fat producer. These are linked to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer.
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