We’ve all been there. Either your wife, girlfriend, mother or sister snaps at you. Maybe full on scream or generally not pleasant to be around – for apparently no reason. Perhaps she’s just under a lot of stress. Stress is an omnipresent force in everyday life, but research reveals that it impacts one gender more than the other. With women experiencing 50% higher work-related stress than men. Although it’s worth noting that a good amount of stress is needed to boost your performance in a given task, it can quickly get out of control. You must effectively deal with the consequences of its chronic nature. Beyond that, knowing how to support the women in your life if they’re dealing with it can go a long way. It all starts with knowing how stress affects them in the first place. Below are three ways.
Disorganized Thinking
Unmanaged stress affects memory and concentration in women more than men. The result is cognitive cloudiness. It is also known as brain fog, which can lead to a lower attention span and alertness level. This can, in turn, result in anxiety, depression, and an increased risk of other mental health issues. It doesn’t help that societal expectations place more pressure on women to manage the home, family, and work without complaining. Fortunately, you can help the women in your life boost mental resilience in such cases. How? By encouraging them to adopt management strategies. It would be best to seek professional help in extreme cases where disorganized thinking becomes a daily occurrence. Taking a break with a quick game of solitaire, brain training or games like Animal Crossing can also help us unwind.
Hormonal Imbalance
The intricate hormonal processes in women make it impossible to overlook how anxiety affects them. Constant stress can throw the female body off balance when it becomes chronic and unmanaged. For instance, consistently elevated stress hormones can interfere with the menstrual cycle. Explaining why some women have irregular periods or miss them. The science behind this stems from the two main female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones thrive when there is balance in the woman’s body. Yet, the slightest imbalance can throw off their functions, causing mood swings, irritability, and everything else that exacerbates PMS. Therefore, females are encouraged to adopt stress-coping mechanisms, such as getting a few minutes of rest and eating healthily. Thus allowing their bodies to recuperate from the negative effects stress has had on them. It would also help to consider taking hormone balance supplements in such cases to restore equilibrium. However, consulting a doctor is best before settling on which supplements to use.
Immune System Vulnerability
Adult women are more susceptible to illnesses when under prolonged stress. That happens because unmanaged stress suppresses the body’s natural immune response, making it less equipped to ward off illnesses. This vulnerability can spell even more problems when women fail to take immune-boosting measures. The delicate balance between stress and the immune system requires taking proactive measures to maintain overall health. That includes regular quality sleep, increased physical activity, healthier meals, and maintaining a positive mindset. These actions fortify the immune system and boost its response rate, especially where stress-induced illnesses are concerned.
Knowing the various ways in which stress can affect the women in your life can play a pivotal role in stress management. The above-listed ones are a few examples and can guide you in providing the needed support if any woman you know is experiencing any of these effects.
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