WHAT DOES STRESS LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
Take a moment and think about what stress means to you. You may think of being in a constant state of worry or anxiety. You may even imagine meeting a deadline for a school paper. Or maybe you think of parents who are stretched thin and are trying to keep it all together for their family. Or perhaps you think of financial stressors such as not making enough money to pay the bills.
Those are all considered external stressors, but stress doesn’t always occur because of external issues. You could be putting your body under a state of stress from something as simple as partaking in an intense workout and not providing your body with enough fuel.
LET’S TALK HORMONES
For many women (and men), stress can actually feel good…until it doesn’t. Let me introduce cortisol and adrenaline. These two hormones are meant to regulate your body’s response, so that when you need an extra boost of energy to respond quickly, you are able to. When the body is exposed to a prolonged state of stress, it frequently produces these two hormones. When that occurs, it can cause many hormonal imbalances. This pattern can wreak havoc on your overall health.
Let’s face it, adrenaline feels great! It’s the reason some women are able to do 5-6 HIIT workouts every week, or take care of the children and family with little to no sleep. Not only does it feel great, adrenaline can be quite addicting. That sense of power and excitement can feel amazing, but what does that do to the body in the long run?
Stress can cause the following:
Hormonal Imbalances
Chronic stress can disrupt the delicate balance of hormones in a woman’s body. The stress hormone cortisol, when consistently elevated, can interfere with the production of other hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, potentially leading to irregular menstrual cycles, fertility issues, and even menopausal symptoms.
Fertility Issues
Chronic stress can impact fertility by disrupting the normal functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis, a complex system that regulates the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Stress-induced hormonal imbalances can make it harder for a woman to conceive.
Immune System Suppression
Long-term stress can weaken the immune system’s response, making a woman more susceptible to infections and illnesses. This can lead to more frequent colds, flus, and other health problems.
Gut Imbalances
Stress can impact the digestive system, leading to issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, and gastrointestinal discomfort. Stress can also alter gut microbiota, potentially affecting overall digestive health
Sleep Disruptions
Stress can interfere with sleep quality and quantity, leading to difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep. Poor sleep, in turn, can further contribute to stress and exacerbate its negative effects on the body.
Cardiovascular Health
Chronic stress can contribute to cardiovascular problems in women, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Stress triggers the release of stress hormones that can affect blood vessel function and increase inflammation, both of which are linked to cardiovascular issues.
Reproductive Health
Prolonged stress can affect a woman’s reproductive health. It may lead to irregular or absent menstrual periods, decreased libido, and difficulties getting pregnant. Stress can also contribute to conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and exacerbate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Weight Gain and Metabolism
Chronic stress can lead to weight gain or difficulties in managing weight. This can trigger emotional eating and cravings for unhealthy foods, contributing to weight gain. Moreover, stress hormones can affect metabolism and fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area.
Mental Health
Chronic stress is closely linked to mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Women may be more prone to these conditions due to hormonal fluctuations and societal pressures.
You’re not alone
Trust me, I am no stranger to chronic stress. By the end of Nursing school, stress and I were absolute besties. I’m talking pulling all nighters, engaging in restrictive eating, over-exercising, and working double shifts at the restaurant I worked at the time. I was running on fumes majority of the time, yet I felt as though I was invincible. I thought taking long walks, and doing yoga was a total snooze fest. It was all about HIIT workouts and going on runs, the more intense, the better! My attitude at the time was simply all or nothing. It wasn’t until my final semester of nursing school, I started to feel pretty off. Turns out I had some pretty severe hormonal imbalances that were causing ugly side effects like insomnia, hair loss, severe PMS, acne, and more. Although it took me a while to realize what the solution was, I finally looked in the mirror and was able to slowly address the damage that I caused. All of a sudden, yoga and meditation didn’t seem so boring after all.
So let’s acknowledge that as women, we don’t have to be superwomen! We simply cannot do it all! And that’s more than OK.
suggestions for stress management:
- Implement a sleep routine with efforts to sleep 7-9 hours each night.
- Eat nourishing foods, and consume enough calories for your body. There are plenty of calorie calculators on the internet where you simply type in your age, height, and weight. Restrictive eating or insufficient calories can make matters worse
- Daily Meditation to clear the mind paired with deep breathing exercises throughout the day
- Obtain and maintain a work life balance. You shouldn’t be in work mode 24/7. Practicing mentally clocking in and clocking out to maintain that balance.
- Exercise. For some this can look like long walks and yoga, for others this can be weight lifting and running. Meet your body where it is today! More isn’t always better when your body is under a state of stress
As the excitement of summer comes to an end, let’s focus more on Self care this upcoming September and less on that pesky to-do list.
