5 Unexpected Long Term Effects of Stress on Women
As a working mom, have you experienced those moments when you feel like you are on a hamster wheel and can't get off? Trying to balance work and family life can be exhausting and stressful.
According to the latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics, women that juggle many roles like work, relationships, marriage, chores, and kids experience significantly higher stress than men. Moreover, the data shows that more women experience work-related stress than men do. In addition to taking on more responsibilities, many women deal with self-doubt, low self-esteem, and self-criticism that can add to anxiety and stress.
Multiple studies link chronic stress to a variety of illnesses. We may experience this type of stress when faced with challenging life events such as a close family death or a change in financial circumstances. There are also everyday stresses such as an unexpected minor illness of a family member who requires care, dealing with traffic during a commute, or changing work hours. These have a cumulative effect and contribute to chronic stress.
We know that too much stress can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression. However, women may also experience other physical symptoms normally not associated with stress.
The nervous system is nourished by a variety of minerals and vitamins. When we experience stress, our body starts to prioritize which functions are essential for survival. Therefore, it pulls limited supplies of these nutrients from parts considered a luxury to sustain crucial bodily processes. Hence, stressed women might experience a variety of physical symptoms.
Chronic stress can affect our skin, hair, and nails.
Effects of stress may include dull skin prone to wrinkles and lines as well as hair loss and brittle nails.
Consistently elevated cortisol level, the stress hormone, can affect our ability to break down and repair damaged tissues. As a result, you may be producing less collagen and elastin. These are the proteins found in the skin that work together to give it its texture and shape.
Are you experiencing skin problems like acne, eczema, and rashes? Too much cortisol in your body can affect the production of oil by your skin, leading to these conditions.
Another way how chronic stress can affect your appearance is by disturbing your hair's cycle. Increased stress levels can cause many hair follicles to be pushed into the resting phase, leading to excessive hair loss.
Healthy skin, hair, and nails require a variety of vitamins and minerals. Stress makes it harder for our bodies to absorb the nutrients needed to feel and look great.
Stress may impact the menstrual cycle and fertility.
A hormonal balance is so essential for us women. When we experience stress, many hormones in our body get affected. Even acute stress, which is a short term, can affect our menstrual cycle. I remember the first time I flew overseas with my son when he was only 18 months old. It was so stressful for me that it dysregulated my cycle that month. Stress is considered to be a common cause of missed or late menstrual periods.
Also, studies are pointing to the relationship between stress and fertility. Of course, there might be many different reasons why couples have trouble conceiving. Stress could be one of them. Like I mentioned before, your body shuts down any processes that are not necessary for survival when you are in the fight and flight mode. Having babies is not considered essential by your body. Many of us have heard stories of couples trying to get pregnant without success. When they finally decide to adopt, they unexpectedly get pregnant. One explanation could be a reduction in anxiety and stress over not being able to conceive.
Constant stress can lead to difficulty sleeping.
Many women complain that they cannot shut off their minds at night. They always think about work, house, kids, chores. A busy mind doesn't allow us to have a good night sleep.
Have you heard the expression "wired but tired"? It happens when your cortisol, the stress hormone, stays elevated when it should be at the lowest at night. You wake up tired and feel tired all day long. But at night, you suddenly get the energy and can't sleep. Elevated cortisol suppresses melatonin production. Melatonin is the hormone that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Developing a nighttime routine to help you relax and lower your exposure to light and unnecessary stressors is crucial.
Weight resistance can be a sign of too much stress.
When we think about weight loss, we usually focus on calories and exercise. Based on many experts' advice, eating fewer calories, and moving your body should produce weight loss. But many women find that despite working out and eating healthy, they cannot lose weight. At this point, weight resistance becomes a symptom of imbalances in the body. Getting to the root cause of it is crucial. There might be many reasons why women cannot lose weight from thyroid problems to hormonal changes. Weight resistance could also be an unexpected physical symptom of stress.
Chronic stress can cause brain fog.
Constant exposure to stress can be one of the causes of brain fog. You may have trouble putting thoughts together, concentrating, and staying motivated. You might also feel mentally and physically exhausted.
In times of stress, our body uses every resource available to help us stay alert and analyze possible danger. Anything that is of lesser importance is suppressed from the awareness. Complex thinking, decision making, and planning get affected. Alertness is useful with acute stress but may lead to chronic brain fog with prolonged stress. We start to miss certain information, feel distracted, jumping from one thing to the next, subconsciously looking for a threat.
What can you do to help your body deal with stress?
Reducing stress is not always doable. Giving yourself space to recharge daily can create a buffer against stress. Self-care may include anything that has a positive effect on you, such as:
Taking a walk
Exercising
Spending time with the loved ones
Meditating
Socializing
Reading a book
Watching funny movies
Sleeping
These are simple examples of things to do that can help us deal with the negative consequences of stress if done regularly.
Conclusion
Women wear many hats in life. If we don't take care of ourselves daily, our bodies will start to shut down. We may begin to experience unusual symptoms like hair loss, brittle nails, hormonal imbalances, or brain fog. Don’t wait until you start to feel unwell.
References:
Bido T. The American Institute of Stress. The Shocking Ways Stress Directly Affects Our Appearance—And How to Beat It.
https://www.stress.org/the-shocking-ways-stress-directly-affects-our-appearance-and-how-to-beat-it
Cleveland Clinic. Women and stress. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/5545-women-and-stress
Priory. Why are stress levels among women 50% higher than men?
https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/why-are-stress-levels-among-women-50-higher-than-men
Webmd. Effects of Stress on Your Skin. https://www.webmd.com/beauty/the-effects-of-stress-on-your-skin
Rooney K., Domar A. NCBI. The relationship between stress and infertility. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016043/
Hi! I'm Kinga Zerhouni.
I am a Board Certified Functional Wellness Coach. I work with stressed-out and tired working moms who feel like they are drowning in the thousand things they have to do between work and home.
I help them learn how to nourish and listen to their bodies to figure out which lifestyle changes are right for them, so they can regain their energy and feel calm again.