Multiple roles make women more stressed
Today, women are multi-tasking in their work and personal lives. Many women have two to-do lists, one for the home and one for the office, that dominate their everyday decisions.
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Women experience multiple life stressors in their many roles as wives, mothers, daughters, care- takers, friends and career professionals and all of these demands add stress to their life.
Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood.
These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength.
Handling stress
According to Health Development Specialist Dr Jesseline Asamoah, stress is a normal part of life, as “not all stress is bad”.
“It is when stress happens often that it becomes pathological”, she said.
She added that when a reaction or induced stress is out of proportion that it begins to have a negative connotation.
Stress, she says, is not a medical condition but if it is not handled well, then it could have major health implications.
Some people are said to be more vulnerable than others to stress. Some people seem to be permanently on edge whereas others take everything in their stride. One key factor that influences how one copes with stress is one’s personality type.
In the 1970s, two American researchers were working on a coronary prevention project. From their research, they divided personality types into two groups- “Type A” and “Type B.” The A-Type personalities appear more hurried, driven, and self-motivated. Research on Type A personalities suggests that if these traits become extreme, stress-related illnesses can occur.
The B-Type personality exhibits almost opposite traits, seeming to be more relaxed, less time oriented and less self-driven. Type B personalities maintain a more objective perspective and, therefore, are less prone to being negatively affected by stress. Type A personalities allow stress to have a negative influence. Type B personalities tend to use stress in a positive manner.
Stress and women’s health
It is not at all unusual for women to experience bodily changes when they are dealing with stressful situations, as stress can negatively impact your health.
In the short term, women who experience stress are more likely to report headaches, stomach problems, anxiety and decreased productivity. Stress can also affect a woman’s memory and cognitive performance.
Women with high levels of stress are at a higher risk of heart disease, obesity and depression.
According to Dr Asamoah, who is also the manufacturer of Jeselyn Herbal Foot Spa, a herbal product aimed at helping women under stress to relax, most chronic diseases such as cardio diseases and emotional imbalance are stress induced.
Stress, she said, could lead to puerperal psychosis in nursing mothers, and this could reduce their breast milk production.
A cosmetologist, Mrs SaintClaire Adotey, says stress in women could lead to hair loss (alopecia), wrinkles on the face, pimples, skin diseases and other health conditions.
Managing stress
According to Mrs Adotey, stress could be managed by stimulating blood circulation and psyching clients to relax.
Stress, she says, cannot be pushed away. She has, therefore, advised women to manage their stress by relaxing to relax their nerves, pulse and glands.
Writer's email: [email protected]
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