The One Liner

Stabilising The Change: How Stress Influences Women’s Lives

In the ‘do it all’ era, women feel the strain. 

Do you agree with this? 

Maybe expectations have changed the way we look up to women these days. If you look around your society, you will observe many working women aged between 35 and 54 are busy being mothers, caretakers for the elderly, homemakers, or breadwinners. When so much is going on, it’s no wonder women experience more stress than men. But don’t worry—you’re not alone in this!

According to the most recent Health and Security Official (HSE) insights, it has been observed that stress levels are higher for women than men. Moreover, research highlights that women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety issues compared to men, which seems to result from trying to carry all the workload.

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In this article, we will learn the distinctive scenarios that can cause women to stress and provide coping mechanisms for dealing with them effectively. We will also explore why women are better stress managers, delving into the biological, social, and psychological factors contributing to their success.

And learn the secrets behind their stress management products and valuable lessons for managing stress daily.

But why are women more likely to be stressed than men?

Stress is widespread and can influence anybody, regardless of gender orientation. However, women frequently confront exciting challenges that can complicate their stress levels. From dealing with numerous roles and duties to managing societal desires and hormonal vacillations, Women are more likely to encounter stress in different aspects of their lives. For example, it can be financial stress, lack of work-life balance, too many red flags in a relationship, toxic boyfriends, traumatic occasions, failing to meet social expectations, physical well-being issues, etc.

As per some reports, the number of women encountering work-related pressure is 50% higher than for men of the same age.

Dr Judith Mohring (MBBS, MRCPsych, MA, CCST) said women had taken on more duties at work while maintaining their obligations at home. They often felt that men who had spent time organising with senior colleagues were way better placed to hold their professions when a company cut its workforce. In contrast, women who had obligations to children at home were not continuously able to be reinforced in the same way.

The figures provoked calls from a leading therapist for more to be done inside the working environment to assist women battling to combine family life, target-driven employment and frequently a vital rest shortfall to accomplish a better quality of life.

How must women respond to stress?

Women tend to respond to stress with “trend-friendliness,” emphasising the development and assessment of social support. It contrasts the “fight-flight” response often associated with men.

The fight-or-flight response, also known as the acute stress response, alludes to the psychological response at the sight of something physically or emotionally challenging. This reaction is activated by releasing hormones to prepare your body to either remain there and tackle the situation or escape it safely.

The Coping Mechanisms For Women

Remedies for dealing with stress for women!

1. Deep Breaths and Stretch Outs

Breathing exercises or stretching workouts can help the body calm down.

2. Set Limits and Assign Obligations

Knowing one’s limits and being able to communicate them can help manage stress.

3. Self-care is not selfish.

Indulging in self-care, such as eating a portion of a proper diet, maintaining a reliable rest cycle, and getting out for physical movement, can help decrease stress.

4. Practice Mindfulness and Yoga

Practising mindfulness or yoga can offer assistance in decreasing push by teaching a feeling of centre and relaxation.

5. Take Social Assistance

When needed, seeking social help from close ones or mental well-being experts can help deal with stress.

6. Confrontive Coping

Confrontative Coping includes straightforwardly confronting and managing stressors, such as issues or challenges, helpfully and emphatically.

7. Try Planful Problem-Solving

Planful problem-solving involves a step-by-step analysis to address an issue, recognise the root cause, collect data, and implement a constructive solution.

8. Have Self-control

Self-control means taking charge of one’s feelings and emotions to manage stress levels and control one’s actions.

9. Distancing

Distancing also refers to detachment from an unpleasant or emotionally challenging situation to maintain mental peace. 

10. Take Positive Appraisal

Positive appraisal revolves around reframing an upsetting situation to a positive one, diverting to an optimistic outlook.

Why is Stress Management vital for Women?

Empowering women with effective stress management is crucial for their overall functioning and well-being. The ability to manage stress can prevent a series of adverse health impacts, including increased risks of physical issues such as heart illness, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. It also helps maintain mental health, preventing anxiety, depression, and burnout.

By using adaptive coping strategies, women can push away the harmful impacts of stress and maintain a better quality of life.

Research demonstrates that women tend to encounter higher levels of women than men. As per the reports from the American Psychological Association, women are more likely to report physical and emotional symptoms of stress, such as migraines, changes in eating habits, and sentiments of grumble and sadness.

Several components contribute to this gender difference, including:

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell

Women experience hormonal changes throughout their lives, including menstruation, pregnancy and menopause, which can significantly affect their stress. For example, many women report increased levels of anxiety and irritability in PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). Women also tend to juggle multiple roles: work, caregiver, and housekeeper. Social expectations about success in all of these activities can increase stress. For example, even a working mother who is a model parent may feel pressure to perform at her job.

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We are still living in a world where women are frequently expected to manage their emotions and those of others, a phenomenon known as emotional labour. This can be particularly taxing in both personal and professional settings.

Women’s superior stress management skills may be attributed to biological and social-psychological factors. Forming strong social networks, managing emotions effectively, and adopting adaptive coping strategies enhance stress resilience.

By understanding and harnessing these strengths, men and women can improve their stress management strategies and overall well-being.

This discussion of stress coping strategies and levels between men and women is sufficient to understand and identify stress management strategies and women’s effectiveness.

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