Stress and the Female Body
Dec 2, 2019

Core Spirit member since Dec 24, 2020
Reading time 3 min.

How stress impacts a woman’s body

While every female is wonderfully unique, there are certain ways that stress can be detrimental to her body. By understanding these consequences, you can start today to work to reduce sources of worry for your best health.

The role of stress on pregnancy

Stress processes can have a detrimental effect on pregnancy, indicates a recent research review. This analysis looks at literature surrounding anxiety of the expecting mom and highlights how this anxiousness is a risk factor in premature birth or low birth weight.

Premature birth weight refers to birth before reaching 37 weeks gestation, while a low birth weight is 2,500 grams or lower than that.

Of course, there are several other factors also playing a role in psychological research on women, including the pregnant woman’s socioeconomic status, amount of support she receives, and responsibilities (personal and professional). Money is a significant source of stress too.

Mental impairments

In addition to potentially harming baby, stress impacts a woman’s body in other ways, including her mind. As a study in the Neurology journal found, those who undergo regular stress are 40% more likely to have mild cognitive problems than those who were less prone to feeling negative.

MCI or mild cognitive issues show themselves as slight memory loss and can even become Alzheimer’s disease. It is different than normal age-related memory loss.

Physical issues with chronic stress

Females who feel stressed out can also experience physical problems, explains the Office on Women’s Health (OWH), such as:

Anxiety

Depression

Upset stomach

Decrease in appetite

Headaches

Heart problems

The OWH explains that short-term stress can upset the stomach and over time become irritable bowel syndrome. Nausea and vomiting can occur.

As per this University of California study, women may experience symptoms of stress more often than men. The result can be a higher rate of depression and anxiety.

Fertility and stress

In addition, stress over time can negatively impact a woman’s ability to get pregnant. Research backs up this statement, with females who experience higher stress levels than other women having more issues getting pregnant.

Specifically, this study found that stress significantly lowered the chances of conception each day in the fertile window. Thus, it makes sense to make efforts to manage stress to help improve your odds of becoming a new mom.

How to combat stress

While I wish there was one definitive way to alleviate all worries, there is not. What works well to calm one person’s mind might not help someone else.

With that said, there are common ways to fight stress, including:

Be active – Exercise can help improve mood and relax muscles that get tense in difficult times

Take “me time” – Become comfortable with yourself and indulge in hobbies that relax you

Reach out – Talking to supportive friends and family can help you get a new way of looking at a problem and potentially lead to a great solution

Sleep – Aim for enough sleep that you feel rested when awaking the next morning, and do so on the regular

If you find your mood still does not improve, seek out a professional, such as a therapist. This person can provide you with the tools to handle emotionally difficult times. A psychiatrist may also be necessary to provide medications, depending on your situation and what the professional deems best for you.

Group support is also available online. For example, women who feel alone as a result of infertility can find local support groups through Resolve.org. if they live in the US.

About the Writer

Christy Birmingham blogs at When Women Inspire, a platform that is all about living the best life possible. Find tips and information on health, wellness, lifestyle, family, and more.


Leave your comments / questions for this practitioner

To write a comment please
or
Services
Category filter
Concern filter
Type filter
Sort
 

All categories

Wellness Coaching
$20 USD
consultation
50 & Beyond Health & Wellbeing Discovery Session

Join me for a comprehensive look into what it will take to stay physically and mentally strong as you move through the second half of your life.

We all want to age without the fear of suffering from a chronic illness and still have the energy and strength to live the life we want.

The number one reason people fail to stay healthy as they age is the inability to consistently follow the right habits and behaviours for health transformation.

Through working with 1000's of clients over the last 20 years, I have been able to develop a coaching program that not only looks at nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management but also how to develop the right mindset needed to succeed.

Having a plan is not as important as having the ability to implement it.

If you are someone who struggles to follow healthy habits consistently. Or you are someone who wants to learn more about what they need to do personally to avoid chronic illness. Then my 30-minute Discovery Session is ideal for you.

From the 30 minutes we spend together, we will go through in specific detail what it is you can do today when it comes to what to eat, how to get the most from exercise, how to develop a powerful sleep routine and how to build a healthy environment needed to live a healthy life.

And with over 20 years of coaching experience in the health & wellness industry, I have witnessed firsthand what it takes to consistently follow the right habits and behaviours for lasting change.

Expect to hear things that will challenge what you have always been told about nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management. As someone who is over 50 and is stronger, fitter and healthier than I was in my 20s, 30s, & 40s, I am well-placed to know what works and doesn't as we move through this period of our lives.

Chris Deavin
Cognitive Psychology
$99 USD
consultation
Check Your Vibes! Find out how much Positive and Negative energy you have!

The Energy Leadership™ Index (ELI) assessment is the proprietary, research-backed assessment tool, created by iPEC, that takes something abstract, like the way a person views the world, and turns it into something tangible—a metric that you can see and feel and even reevaluate in the future.

You’ve probably taken personality tests, like Myers Briggs, DiSC, and Enneagram, but this is different. And transformational.

The ELI is an attitudinal assessment tool that captures how an individual currently perceives and approaches work and life. This means that you learn to make change happen in real-time when you encounter a moment of self-doubt, fear, or frustration.

With the awareness and insights gained through the Energy Leadership Index debrief, you have the opportunity to reshape your attitudes and worldview and transform your life into the one you envision.

Our worldview is the result of a combination of many different aspects: our past experiences, level of consciousness, perception of situations. Each of us has a unique combination of all seven levels of energy which, in turn, creates your typical viewpoints, perceptions, and beliefs about life.

Learning about your energetic makeup can help you to reframe your perspective, shift your consciousness, and increase your energy level as a result. Discover your unique energetic makeup by taking an ELI Assessment!

This comes with an hour debrief - As an FYI the price is what it is because there is a price to me- I have to pay the institution for the assessment and the scoring. Then I'll walk you thorugh your results.

David Jacks
Emotional Stress Release
$80 USD
healing session
Oxygen to the rescue! Great for Mental Health, Brain Injury, Detox, inflammation

Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers are one of the oldest and safest treatments available. Oxygen detoxifies and heals. I was introduced to Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers (HBOC) by Dr. Amen, a world reknown Psychiatrist. Oxygen is great for ADD, Mood Disorders, Trauma, Insomnia, Brain injuries, Wound healing and Inflammation.

This is from Dr. Amen's Clinic: "If you are struggling with a mental health condition, recovering from a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI), or dealing with cognitive or memory problems, hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be for you. People all over the world have reported recovering from a variety of conditions and experiencing dramatic improvements with this type of popular therapy."

Most people will feel a difference off of one treatment, especially if you typically have trouble sleeping. You will sleep like a rock.

David Jacks
Bach flower therapy
$35 USD
consultation
BACH FLOWER STANDALONE BOTTLE SERVICE

**This type of service is ONLY for clients who already know the remedies they want to take.

The standalone treatment bottle service is offered to US residents only .**

Iose Cocuzza, NC, CGP, BFRP

Related Articles

View All
Registered individuals enjoy all the possibilities of Core Spirit.