Women & Stress

Whether you’re a CEO or a stay-at-home mom, stress is part of your daily routine. We usually think of stress as “the demands of life,” but it’s actually defined as the effect these demands have on our body and mind.

Some studies have suggested that men and women may deal with stress in different ways. Research attributes this difference to certain hormones, including testosterone, cortisol and oxytocin, which are released in the body when it’s placed under stress.

No matter how you respond to stress, learning how to manage the demands of your daily life can be very beneficial to your health.

Breathe in, breath out.  One of the easiest methods for relieving stress involves the most basic action of the human body – breathing. Try this exercise when you feel the need to slow things down.

• Take a deep breath, counting slowly to three as you breathe in through your nose and push your stomach out (rather than you chest).
• Slowly breathe out through your mouth for a count of six.
• Repeat a total of three times.

One thing at a time.  Improving your time management skills can also help you control your daily stress levels. It can allow you more time with your friends and family and may even increase your productivity at home and work.

• Keep a record of how you spend your time.
• Rate your daily activities by importance and focus your energy on these tasks.
• Use a day planner to help you break large projects into smaller pieces. Set short-term goals to help keep you on track.

Eat, sleep and be active.  Your body recovers from a stressful day while you’re asleep, so be sure to get plenty of rest every night. Eating a balanced diet and exercising throughout the week are also very important factors in reducing your stress level.