8 Important Ways in Which Stress and Women's Health are Linked

Stress is the way your body reacts to daily occurrences. Everyone faces it – even a child is no exception! While positive stress motivates you, you may feel overburdened with negative stress. If you don’t manage stress on time, it can have a toxic impact on your life [1].

In 21st century, life has become quite fast and you may find it hard to toggle between priorities. In most cases, health comes last and brings excessive stress. But that shouldn’t be. In this article, you will learn how stress can affect women’s health and how to reduce female stress.

Following Are the Usual Stress Symptoms.

• Physical issues like tiredness, difficulty in sleeping, skin problems and eating disorders 
• Mental issues such as negative thoughts, forgetfulness, lack of focus  
• Social problems like isolating oneself from everyone, loneliness 
• Emotional issues such as depression, anxiety attacks, mood fluctuation, frustration

You may experience stress from a variety of reasons. They include relationship problems, financial issues, work issues, individual or family health ailments, children issues and more. Responsibilities often require you to multitask. One slip-up can cause a lot of troubles. When you are unable to meet expectations, high stress becomes a constant companion. While this is common, it is better not ignore it. To get deeper insight on women’s stress and how it can impact your life, read on.

Affects Menstrual Cycle

If you are suffering from chronic stress, you may experience irregular periods. Stress leads to an imbalance of female hormones, progesterone and estrogen, which control the menstrual flow. A study even revealed how workplace stress hampers your period cycle [2]. As women’s stress levels increase, premenstrual syndrome also gets more severe.

Causes Heart Ailments

When there is an excessive secretion of stress hormones, your heart tends to pump faster. It helps to increase the blood circulation to your vital organs. Due to this, your blood pressure spikes. Maintaining chronic stress levels may need your heart to function rapidly. If blood pressure continues to increase, there are high risks of heart attack or stroke.

Increases Body Weight

Cortisol is a hormone linked to your stress response. High stress results in increased cortisol. In such cases, you may gain weight, especially around your upper back and midsection. A study has also revealed how chronic stress is linked to a decrease in your metabolic functions [3]. This further leads to piling on the kilos!

Results in Anxiety Attacks and Depression

High stress can cause panic attacks. In some cases, it can even result in panic disorders or obsessive compulsive disorders. You may even face depression with elevated cortisol in your body. If you are unable to cope with stress due to any traumatic incident, you may be prone to depression too.

Makes It Difficult to Conceive

Chronic stress taxes both your mind and body. With stress, your body’s fatigue also increases. This can affect your sexual health and may cause fertility problems. As a result, you may find it hard to conceive. Remember, you need a happy and stress-free mind so that all your organs can function properly.

Causes Migraine Attacks and Body Aches

When your body is under stress, there is a tendency for your muscles to get tensed. If this continues for a long time, you may experience migraines and body aches. Stress is the major triggering factor for headaches in women. It may even affect your sleeping pattern and cause insomnia.

Affects Digestion Process

Under high stress, the increased rush of hormones can affect your digestive system. So, you stomach secretes more acid causing heartburn or acid reflux. Chronic stress can also hamper the movement of food particles in your body. As a result, you may experience nausea, diarrhea or constipation.

Results in Skin Reactions

When cortisol levels are high in your body, there is an excess oil production. Too much oil can affect your skin texture causing acne breakouts. In some cases, itchy rashes may also develop on your skin due to stress.

Now that you know the connection between stress and women’s health, it is essential that you adopt strategies to minimize stress. One way to achieve better stress management for women is to take some time for yourself. Maintain a physically active lifestyle as it can enhance your mood. Practicing meditation or journaling your thoughts are a few ways that healthy women use to cope better.

Next time you feel stressed, discuss your symptoms with a doctor. Connect with specialists near you on Bajaj Finserv Health. Book an online doctor consultation and get valuable advice from the comfort of your home. Ensure a timely diagnosis and conquer your stress today!