How Women Can Relieve Their Stress

How Women Can Relieve Their Stress Stress Management Effects on Health Print How Women Can Relieve Their Stress By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of 8 Keys to Stress Management. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Scott, MS Updated on August 18, 2019 How Stress Impacts Your Health Overview Signs of Burnout Stress and Weight Gain Benefits of Exercise Stress Reduction Tips Self-Care Practices Mindful Living Zero Creatives / Cultura / Getty Images It seems to be common knowledge that women are generally busier and more stressed than men. Its widely believed that they juggle more roles and are constantly rushing. Many women themselves feel that they shoulder the lions share of responsibilities outside of paid work, even when they are working just as many hours as their male counterparts. Perhaps because of this, women are seen as generally more stressed than men. But how true is this perception? Researchers from The University of Arizonas School of Family and Consumer Resources decided to find out. They took a sample of 166 married couples and had each participant maintain a daily diary over the course of 42 days, where they recorded their daily stressors. The results indeed showed that women reported a greater amount of high distress days and fewer distress-free days than men. Interestingly, the differences in levels of stressful days were due to women experiencing more onsets of distress episodes (having stress response triggered), rather than being more likely to continue in a distressed state from one day to the next. In other words, women didnt hold onto their stress more; they just experienced more episodes of being stressed. This brings up some important issues regarding women and stress, that women need to be aware of: Understand Gender Differences in Stress If youre feeling more stressed than your male counterparts, dont take it as a sign that youre not handling stress as well; it might be because youre experiencing more stress. Give yourself a pat on the back for handling what you already are, and move confidently to step two. Eliminate What You Can It seems that people are always asking women (especially mothers!) to help with group projects like organizing office birthday parties or running the PTA. While many of these activities are fulfilling, they can add up to a significant amount of stress just by filling your schedule to the brim. While it can be very difficult to say no sometimes (especially if you tend to be a people pleaser), its vital to your health and happiness that you keep in mind that saying yes to too many requests means saying no to things you need: time alone, hobbies, and other soul-nourishing activities. To maintain a reasonable level of daily stress, women need to get used to the idea of setting priorities and saying no. Alter Your Perspective Much of your experience with stress can be eliminated with a change in the way we look at things. This may sound too good to be true, but it isnt! Altering the way you conceptualize the events you find stressful (viewing them as a challenge instead of a threat, or an opportunity instead of a crisis, for example) can actually make them feel less threatening and stressful. When you dont perceive a situation as a threat, your bodys stress response is deactivated more quickly (or doesnt get triggered in the first place), and youre more able to avoid the effects of chronic stress. Have Some Quick Stress Relievers You cant eliminate all stress in life, and probably wouldnt want to if you could. There are many types of stress that are enjoyable, like the excitement of a first date or the suspense of waiting to hear if youve gotten a new job. Because it may not be possible to stop reacting to stress (even with the most positive outlook), its important to have some fast stress relievers in order to reverse your stress response quickly and prevent yourself from entering a state of chronic stress. Maintain Regular Stress-Relieving Habits You can also prevent yourself from getting into an overwhelmed state (where youre more reactive to stress) by maintaining some regular stress relief activities as part of your schedule. Studies show that those who meditate regularly are less reactive to stressors that occur in their lives. Exercise is also an important option to remember; it can keep you physically and emotionally healthy. Journaling also has many benefits for its users. Adding one of these options to your morning or nightly routine could bring be especially useful.