As women have moved into the workplace over the last several decades, the pressures on them have multiplied. Single mothers struggle to get the bills paid, keep their children out of trouble and ensure good performance in school. Females in dual-income households face new challenges as well as opportunities to climb the corporate ladder. How do women manage?
Stress triggers the release of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, leading to an increased state of alertness and what has become known as the “fight or flight” response. Researchers at UCLA, examined hundreds of biological and behavioral studies of humans and animals, and concluded that women who feel attacked by stress are more likely to “tend and befriend.” Rather than fighting or fleeing, their tendency is to protect their children and to seek help from others, often from other females. That is a response that makes sense in terms of evolution; otherwise, the family would not survive. The researchers believe it is also based on biology and the way stress hormones and sex hormones interact.
But even when women manage the short-term pressures effectively, chronic stress is another matter. Day-in, day-out stress causes inflammatory chemicals to be released into our systems constantly, setting us up for a number of serious health problems. High circulating levels of cortisol and adrenaline increase blood pressure, pulse and breathing rates. Over time this can take a toll on the heart and cardiovascular system.
Chronic stress suppresses the immune system, making us more prone to colds and other illnesses. Blood sugar levels rise, setting the stage for the development of diabetes. Stress is also believed to play a role in Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel condition. All too many women are familiar with the concept of stress-induced headaches that can range from everyday to migraine. High stress levels can interfere with sleep, and increase rates of depression and anxiety-related disorders. Eliminating stress from our lives is not an option for most women, although for some it may be possible to make changes that can decrease the load.
The stress we cannot avoid we can learn to control. Most problems result from our body’s reaction to outside events.
So what is the key to unlock the relaxation response? Several methods include meditation, yoga, relaxation exercises and slow breathing exercises. All of these relaxation methods work by slowing down the heart and breathing rates. As that happens, the rate of oxygen use drops, blood lactate levels fall, cortisol and blood sugar levels drop and blood pressure is lowered. Proponents of yoga and meditation have long known the power of the mind/body connection and the way we can use these disciplines to gain a sense of harmony and control.
If the thought of having to find time to squeeze a class into your schedule is enough to trigger a stress response, do not panic. It is possible to learn slow breathing and muscle relaxation methods that you can practice in traffic jams, grocery store lines, when the kids are being difficult or during stress-filled meetings at work.
Women who develop coping responses become more flexible. Think of it as developing your own Teflon coating. Flexibility makes it possible to keep things in view and avoid seeing every bump in the road as a disaster.
One way to keep the daily stressors in check is to take a look at the big picture–how important will this problem seem when I look back on it two years from now? If the answer is “very,” then you need to develop an action plan that will help you deal with the problem. If the answer is “not very” (which is true for most of our daily stressors), then you need to take care of the problem calmly, practice your relaxation response and do not allow yourself to become stressed by the situation.
Stress is a reality of our modern life. If we cannot eliminate it we have to learn to live with it without allowing it to take control of our lives.
Kerri Musselman, PharmD—Rev. 5/19/2010 TNK
