Isn’t it crazy how stressed we all seem to be all the time? How often does a friend say “I’m so stressed”? How often do you say it yourself? Whether it’s work, relationships, caring for children or aging parents, or some other source of stress, it often seems as though we simply can’t avoid it. But what is all this stress doing to your sense of happiness and well being?

We’ve learned that stress is a highly significant contributor to disease. The World Health Organization estimates that by the year 2020 (which is quickly approaching!), stress related disorders will be the second leading cause of disabilities in the world. Everything we know about stress – either real or perceived, acute or chronic – confirms that it has a real effect on your health. Stress changes the way your neurotransmitters relay information, as well as your hormonal pathways. It is never too late to do something about stress – once you can look at your stress and come up with a plan minimize and reduce it – you may see a marked improvement in your overall health.

Women all experience stress in different ways

As women, we tend to have a nurturing response that can put us in a position where we are trying to care for everyone but ourselves. Some scientists believe that this instinct becomes stronger during periods of stress, due to an evolutionary instinct that women have to protect themselves and their offspring when under threat of harm.

Short term stress is the kind of stress we feel when we have a deadline – or when driving in hazardous road conditions. Symptoms of short term stress may include an increased heart rate, sleep disturbances, increased blood pressure, irritability, headaches or muscle tension, decreased memory, fuzzy thinking and poor eating habits.

Chronic or long term stress is stress that stays with us for months – or even years. We know that psychological stress disrupts blood sugar metabolism, which can be a key factor in diabetes. Chronic stress also affects our immune systems and increases the risk for lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism and allergies. Studies conducted in 2006 showed a direct correlation between stress and cardiovascular disease. In another study a few years ago, of the 58 women studied, those under high levels of stress showed an increase in oxidative stress and cellular aging!

I always urge women to look at where their stress is coming from. While some of these sources might be difficult to admit, they are usually easy to recognize. Sometimes stress comes from a job you love that has changed; other times it may be initiated by challenges in a relationship. Long term stress can even develop from experiences in our childhoods. The ACE – Adverse Childhood Experiences – Study (1998) showed that children who experienced adverse childhood events were more apt to have adverse health conditions or disease as adults. Some of the adverse childhood events which were reported are:

  •  Growing up with an alcoholic
  •  Growing up with a drug user
  •  Recurrent sexual, emotional or physical abuse
  •  Living with someone who was chronically depressed or who was treated  violently
  •  separation from a parent – through death, divorce, illness or other separation

Knowing that things that happened long ago could still be impacting us now makes dealing with stress even more important.  Dealing with emotional stress is one piece of finding your way to happiness. I also know from years of practice that stress is a larger piece of our physical wellness than many people have considered.

Every woman has a different journey when getting to the root cause of her stress – and everyone resolves their stress differently. As you move through the process, it’s vital to lessen the effects of stress on your body to get to feeling your very best.

Here are some suggestions I recommend for reducing stress in your life:

  • Practice healthy eating! I suggest three meals and two snacks per day. The stress hormone cortisol is released when your blood sugar is low, so keep your body fueled well to lessen this stress. Choose good protein sources, lots of nutrient rich fruits and vegetables, and high quality fats.
  • Create some relaxation practices. Whether you journal for fifteen minutes a day, walk for 30 minutes or connect with a friend, make sure you find a time each day to relax. You may even want to try yoga, acupuncture or reiki. In periods of great stress in my life, ballroom dancing has saved me! Whatever helps you quiet your parasympathetic nervous system is the right thing for you.
  • Consider taking a multivitamin. When you are under stress your body needs all the support you can give it! While we would like to think that we can get all our nutritional needs from the foods we eat, in this day and age its difficult. Close any gap you might have with a dietary supplement.
  • Find emotional support. If you want to explore uncovering deep seated emotional stress you may want to consider: psychotherapy, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or a fantastic program offered by the Hoffman Institute known as the Quadrinity Process.

While we all may experience stress every day in our lives, we don’t have to let it overpower us or prevent us from living the lives we want.

I know from personal experience that taking the time to reduce stress and resolve stressors in your life isn’t always easy. I also know from my own experience, and from talking with women every day, that it is well worth it. Take the time for you!