A recent survey of 2000 women by Garnier Fructis found that the average woman doesn’t have enough hours in a day to complete her tasks. In fact, she needs 82 more minutes daily than are available to get everything done. Seven in 10 women said they always feel rushed when they leave their homes. A full 38 percent said they hadn’t had an afternoon to themselves in more than a month. If they were given more time in the day, about half the women said they’d use it to sleep, indicating they aren’t getting enough z’s. Thirty-six percent would use the time to read, and about a third would use it to exercise.
Although, according to some measures, men and women report similar stress levels, a 2016 study published in the Journal of Brain & Behavior reported that two times as many women experience severe stress and anxiety compared to men. A 2006 study by the American Psychological Association (APA) found 51 percent of women reporting high levels of stress compared to 43 percent of men, and women repeatedly score higher in annual APA stress studies.
According to research published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, women react more to stress than men do. The article noted, “Although there was no difference in the number of life events experienced in the previous two years, the women rated their life events as more negative and less controllable than the men. The results of this study suggest that women suffer more stress than men… “
Women tend to get anxious and depressed when exposed to stress, whereas men tend to act out by drinking or carousing, according to one study. Another study found that women experience nervousness, a desire to cry, and lack of energy. Men, on the other hand, develop insomnia, irritability, and anger—once again acting out, rather than internalizing stress reactions. Perhaps because women are more likely to internalize, twice as many women suffer from depression compared to men.
Likewise, stress drives women to the doctor more than it does men, and women report higher rates of stress-related illnesses such as hypertension, depression, anxiety, and obesity. An American Psychological Association study found that 41-percent of women report stress headaches versus 30 percent of men. Thirty-two percent experience stress-related digestive issues, versus only 21 percent of men. But interestingly, men are more likely to die as a result of stress than women are. Dr. Beverly Thorn of the University of Alabama explains, “The really interesting gender difference is that women… present for treatment more frequently and have a greater number of stress-related disorders than men, but men die more frequently of stress-related illnesses — heart disease, cancer, and auto-immune disease.”
Biochemical reasons underlie the gender differences in stress reactions. In women, stress causes a significant amount of the hormone oxytocin to be released in the brain, but men release much less. Oxytocin modulates the pinch of stress to some degree, and women tend to react by doing what experts call “tending and befriending.” In other words, they reach out to friends or care for others. Many men on the other hand, explode, get angry, irritable, or try to numb out by drinking.
As we’ve written often, stress is a precursor to numerous illnesses and must be managed. Although women may suffer more stress than men, they’re also more likely to do something about it, which may be the real reason they tend to survive stress more readily. Experts recommend combatting stress by:
- Practice Self Care. Exercise is a great stress buster, as is getting enough sleep and eating healthy food.
- Get Help. When stress becomes a problem, seek support. It’s essential to get perspective on your situation and to develop coping strategies.
- Take a Break. Even if only a long bath or a 30-minute reading respite.
- Avoid Triggers. It might take working with a therapist to even figure out what the triggers are, but once you know what sets off your stress reaction, you can strategize about how to lessen contact.
- And our personal favorite – Take Stress-Busting Supplements. Natural products containing herbs such as ashwagandha and St. John’s Wort can be extremely helpful in taking the edge off. You can find these and more in top quality formulas at Whitaker’s such as Adaptra, Adrenaplex, Mood Support, Calms Forte, Stress Release Essential Oil Blend, and more! And don’t forget to take a good immune-building formula (such as Elderberry and Propolis) to ensure you stay healthy during stressful times.
