In this fast-paced, modern and competitive lifestyle, stress has become such a global and common problem that hardly anyone is left untouched. It is natural to feel mentally and physically tired while managing office targets, household responsibilities, raising children and social networks from the first light of the morning till you go to sleep at night. Although it was long believed that stress affects every human being in the same way, modern medical science, neuroscience and psychological research have made a very shocking revelation. Researchers say that the way the body and brain of women and men respond to stress is quite different from each other. This is why the effects of stress in women not only affect their mental health but also their sleep, hormonal balance and physical organs in a completely different and deeper way than men. Let us know in detail how women's stress differs from men's and what are the medical reasons behind it. Biological and hormonal differences: Why does stress affect women's brains differently? There is a natural difference in the internal structure and chemical composition of the body of men and women, which science calls biological difference. The levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone in women's bodies continuously change throughout their life cycle. When a woman undergoes extreme mental stress or anxiety, her body produces large amounts of stress hormones like 'cortisol' and 'adrenaline'. The limbic system of women's brain processes emotions and memories more intensely than men. Due to this, when women get caught in any family or professional crisis, their brain feels that danger for a longer period and due to hormonal imbalance, problems like lethargy, headache and mood swings start emerging in their body immediately. 'Fight or flight' vs 'tend and befriend': Women's unique tendency to deal with stress. According to psychologists and behavioral experts, for centuries, men and women have developed different coping mechanisms to deal with stress. When stress increases in men, their body responds with 'fight or flight' i.e. either fighting the situation or running away from it. On the contrary, 'Tend and Befriend' tendency is activated in women during times of stress. This means that during times of stress, women suppress their emotions and try to take care of others, unite the family and share their problems through conversation. When women keep suppressing their inner feelings and anger for a long time, that mental suffocation takes the form of physical ailments, chronic fatigue and chronic headaches in their body. Loss of sleep and restlessness all the time: The biggest and most serious physical symptoms of stress in women. The first and fatal effect of excessive stress and anxiety in women is on their sleep cycle. Constant running of thoughts in the mind even after going to bed at night, remaining restless due to tomorrow's worries and suddenly waking up in the middle of the night are very common in women. When sleep is not complete, the next morning after waking up, conditions like heaviness in the head, persistent migraine or tension headache, and irritability or panic attacks on every small thing begin to arise. Apart from this, women also have to face problems like rapid heartbeat, feeling extremely weak without any physical effort and muscle strain to a greater extent than men. The burden of multitasking and the mental condition of women torn between home and office. Today's modern woman, whether she is a worker or an efficient housewife, has to prove herself on many fronts simultaneously. Waking up in the morning to get children's tiffin, household work, office meetings, deadlines and then taking care of the family's needs at night – this continuous multitasking tires the nervous system of women from within. Compared to men, women take on themselves a greater burden of mental responsibilities and often put their own health last. When this mental pressure crosses a limit, it leads to depression, chronic fatigue syndrome and serious hormonal disturbances (like thyroid and PCOS), which compromises their entire physical health. Easy and practical ways to keep women stress-free and improve mental health: If you are also a woman and have been experiencing poor sleep, headache and feeling restless or nervous about everything for the last few days, then do not ignore it considering it as normal fatigue. By making small changes in your life, you can get relief from this serious stress. First of all, set aside at least 30 minutes of 'Me Time' for yourself throughout the day in which you do any work of your choice or sit completely quietly. Make pranayam, deep breathing exercises and meditation a part of your daily routine in the morning or evening, as it rapidly reduces the level of cortisol hormone in the brain. Reduce caffeine and junk food intake, drink plenty of water and stay away from mobile screens at least an hour before sleeping at night. Do not keep your feelings limited to yourself and share them openly with someone close to you or your partner, because by getting out your feelings, half the stress goes away.
