Posts Tagged ‘stress symptoms’

Symptoms of Stress in Women

Understanding Stress | Posted by admin
Jan 12 2012

Symptoms of Stress in Women You Should Recognize

By Albertus Sargent


It is very important to know the symptoms of stress in women. This is due to the fact they are more prone to getting overwhelmed by stress than men. There are many factors affecting a person and each of these can develop stress. Challenging life problems in relationships, in workplace, finances, health and other unfortunate events could be reasons for one to undergo this condition.

Both behavioral and physical, symptoms of stress in women are prominent. Most of the time, it starts with recurring headaches. Headaches can occur for a variety of reasons but if it occurs more frequent than before, stress is one of the first few causes to consider. Some stressful situations can cause a woman to experience these tension headaches. If stress level gets worse, daily headaches might occur. Consulting the physician would be the best way to conquer this problem.

One of the behavioral symptoms of stress in women is insomnia. A lot of insomniac women are robbed of their right to a good night sleep and this ain’t all about sleeping problems, but it may also be accounted to signs of stress. Because of the stress, it can keep the person awake all throughout the night, particularly if it is severe. Most women who suffer from insomnia due to stress need to take several medication so that they can sleep and their body can recharge after a day’s work. Lack of sleep can weaken the immune system and other complications may occur so it should be taken seriously. If problems regarding sleeping are noticed, better consult the doctor.

Irritability is one of the most common symptoms of stress women. When a woman starts to encounter overwhelming number of tasks she must conquer, she may begin stressing out. Most of the time, the stress is converted to irritability. Often, stressed women find it hard to think how to get all of these things done. This affects her efficiency and accuracy as a worker. And because of her irritability to certain situations, more and more people begin to notice her attitude of being easy to get angry. This can result to lashing out at her children and husband, maybe even co-workers, friends or other relatives if she can not control anymore her anger.

Another sign and symptoms of stress in women is increased illness. Stress can really weaken a woman’s immune system as she grew tired and feel worn out. This leads to them acquiring illnesses. Most women can catch colds or get shingles which can be very painful and are contagious. Most common cause of these diseases is stress.

Lastly, one of the main symptoms of stress in women is when he tends to forget a lot of things. It can start from forgetting where she placed small objects, then suddenly she keeps on forgetting what she is planning to do whenever she goes somewhere in the house. What’s worse is when she leaves only to remember what she originally thought of doing. These are the most common signs of stress – periods of forgetfulness. This happens when there are a lot of things and situations to be done and to take control of leaving no more room for remembering the small stuff. When one wonders about the things they forget, they get frustrated which can lead to irritability and the cycle continues.

Upon knowing these symptoms of stress in women, once noticed, one must consult their doctor or a psychologist to acquire professional help regarding the matter.

Related articles:
General Stress Symptoms You Should Notice
Basic Coping Strategies For Stress

Stress Effects

Understanding Stress | Posted by admin
Oct 09 2011


Stress Effects on Body

Learn how the body reacts to stress

Stress Effects on Body

Stress Effects on Body

Regardless of the cause, stress sets in motion certain automatic changes in the body that are designed to give it a quick burst of energy. The pattern of changes has been called the “fight-or-flight” response because it most likely evolved from our prehistoric ancestors, who faced daily dangers in their search for food and shelter and had to either flee or do battle. Of course, we no longer face such dangers, but our bodies continue to react as if we did. So instead of responding to a saber-tooth tiger lurking behind a tree, the body reacts to petty annoyances like getting caught in traffic, being reprimanded by a supervisor, or worrying about bills.

Regardless of the type of stress, the body goes through the following changes on :

1.  Nervous System

Under physical or psychological stress, your body suddenly shifts its energy resources to fighting off the perceived threat. In what is known as “fight or flight” response, the sympathetic nervous system signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. This is the way Endocrine and other systems are affected as well.

2.  Musculoskeletal System

Muscles tense up. The muscle contraction for extended period can trigger tension headaches, migraines and various musculoskeletal disorder.

3.  Respiratory System

The breathing becomes faster and more shallow to allow the body to take in more oxygen. This may lead to hyperventilation which can bring on panic attacks in some people.

4.  Cardiovascular System

The heart beats faster and blood pressure rises to increase the distribution of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

Warning : Repeated incidences of acute stress can cause inflammation in the coronary arteries, thought to lead to heart attack.

Blood flow to the brain and muscles is increased and, at the same time, reduced to digestive organs.

5.  Endocrine System

The brain sends signal from the hypothalamus causing the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and other stress hormones that prime certain organs to go into action, importantly liver which will produce more glucose, blood sugar that would give you the extra energy for “fight or flight”.

Consequently, sweating increases to allow the body to burn more calories without a rise in body temperature. (In theory, sweating also makes the skin slippery and more difficult for a predator to grab)

6.  Digestive / Gastrointestinal system

Esophagus

Stress may prompt you eat less or more than you usually do. If you eat more or different foods or increase your use of tobaccos or alcohol, you may have heartburn or acid reflux.

Stomach

Your stomach can react with “butterflies” or even nausea or pain.

Bowels

Your digestion may be affected so is the absorption of nutrients by your intestines.

7.  Reproductive System

In men, excess of cortisol produced under stress can affect the normal functioning of the reproductive system.Chronic stress can impair testosterone and sperm production and cause impotence.
In women, stress may affect the menstrual cycles or more painful periods.
Both in men and women, the sexual desire may drop consequently.

The stress symptoms you might see are the results of these stress effects on your body. After the stressor disappears, the body returns to its normal state (homeostasis) and then you do not have to have any stress treatment or stress relievers. If, however, stress is chronic — as it is for many people — the body stays on high alert. The many damaging consequences include a rise in cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, damaged blood vessels, decreased mental skills, and a weakened immune system. At this phase you might need stress relievers.

Source : Reader’s Digest and Washington Post