The Impact of Chronic Stress on Women’s Bodies

The ‘girl boss’ era has taken its toll. Women are now significantly more likely to suffer from chronic stress than men, with 68,000 of those aged between 35-44 struggling, compared to 46,000 men.

It’s a problem that we’re seeing all too often in the ‘sandwich generation’ of women, who are juggling work, parenting children, and looking after elderly parents.

For women, stress also comes with unique physical impacts. To learn more about how your anxiety and overwhelm might be affecting your health, we’ve taken a look at the physical signs of stress in women.

Hormonal Fluctuations

Chronic stress wreaks havoc on your hormones. High levels of stress trigger an increase in cortisol and adrenaline, which impacts your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In other words, it throws your hormones out of balance.

This causes your body to suppress estrogen and progesterone, two of the hormones that are vital for the menstrual cycle. It’s why chronic stress is so frequently associated with late or missed periods, an issue that affects up to 35% of women. 

These hormone imbalances can make premenstrual symptoms (PMS) worse, too. In some cases, it exacerbates premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a more severe form of PMS that causes feelings of depression and anxiety. 

Can Stress Lead to Early Menopause?

The jury’s out over whether stress is a direct cause of early menopause.

One study of women between 40 and 70 years old found a clear link between chronic stress and early menopause, but there isn’t enough research to know for certain. 

As with so many aspects of female health, it’s an area that simply hasn’t received enough attention. If you think you’re experiencing early menopause, the smartest option is to explore menopause treatments with the help of a trained professional. 

Fertility Problems

The symptoms of stress in women aren’t always obvious. A case in point is when looking at fertility. 

As chronic stress impacts your menstrual cycle, it can delay or even prevent ovulation, making it harder to get pregnant. It can also interfere with embryo implantation; an issue that’s been frequently reported in IVF treatments where high stress is linked to poorer embryo transfer outcomes. 

Chronic stress isn’t good for your libido, either. You might find it harder to feel physically aroused when you’re experiencing burnout, reducing how often you have sex and lowering your chances of pregnancy.

Of course, there’s a vicious cycle at play here. If you’re struggling to get pregnant because of stress, it’s likely to make you more stressed, making it harder to get pregnant. 

To break the cycle, join the Anti-Burnout Club and receive free access to hundreds of helpful resources and workshops for chronic stress.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

From irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to bloating, women are already at a higher risk of gastrointestinal (stomach) issues than men. Bring chronic stress into the equation, and your chances of stomach pain shoot up.

This is all down to your natural fight or flight response. When you’re stressed, your body protects itself from danger by slowing down non-essential functions, including digestion. This leads to a whole host of potential problems, including constipation and stomach pain.

Stress also disrupts the healthy bacteria in your gut. This is a delicate balance that’s been linked to far more than digestion, with your gut bacteria playing a huge role in overall health.

When stress disrupts this balance (a state often called dysbiosis), it can lead to:

• Increased gas and bloating
• Heartburn
• Worsening of existing conditions, like IBS
• Inflammation of the gut 
• Weakened immune system

Your gut bacteria can even affect your mental health, too, putting you at higher risk of anxiety, low moods, and brain fog when the balance is off.

High Blood Sugar Levels

Stress directly impacts how your body deals with sugar. That fight or flight mode encourages your liver to release extra glucose into your bloodstream, to give you the energy you need to face danger.

When you suffer from chronic stress, your body doesn’t turn off this mechanism. Instead, it’s constantly flooding your body with more sugar than you need. This frequently leads to high blood sugar levels and increases your chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

How Can You Combat Chronic Stress?

None of the impacts of chronic stress are good news. But when you’re up against a hectic work schedule, caring for your family, and very little downtime, what can you do? That’s where we’re here to help you out.

Here are some top tips from the Anti-Burnout Club to help you deal with chronic stress and lower your cortisol levels:

• Exercise: A top stress-reliever, make sure you’re getting enough exercise in your life. Walk, jog, swim, or practice your downward dog; whatever gets you moving is a win for your stress levels.
  
• Sensory slowdown: Try the sensory slowdown challenge to bring more focus and mindfulness into everyday life.
  
• Prioritise sleep: Quality sleep is essential for regulating your stress hormones. Create a consistent sleep routine with wind-down rituals to help your body switch off.
  
• Try journaling: Writing down your thoughts is a brilliant way to slow your mind and find patterns in your behaviour, encouraging you to be more conscious in everyday life. Check out the Anti-Burnout Journal to get started.
  
• Watch your food: Reduce caffeine and sugar to prevent sudden spikes in your stress levels, and focus on healthy meals with lots of protein and fibre to stabilise blood sugar (a must for consistent moods).
  
• Set boundaries: Chronic stress often comes from doing too much for too many people. Learning to say no and protecting your time isn’t selfish; it’s essential. Practice setting clear boundaries so that you have more control over what’s on your to-do list.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a woman suffering from chronic stress, then by no means are you alone. As women, we are known for doing it all – and sometimes that’s just not healthy! By learning to set boundaries and taking your mental health seriously, you’re more likely to steer clear of the issues we’ve highlighted in this article.

To get a little extra support on your journey to beating stress, learn more about the Anti-Burnout Club.