What Your Body Is Telling You: Stress Symptoms & How To Beat Them
In college Sarah Jenkins was diagnosed with a mild case of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition causing gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. Since then, "it's always been manageable," the now 31-year-old says, adding, "except when I'm under a lot of stress."
Indeed, in the past six months as Jenkins' life spun out of control, her IBS followed. During this time, she was applying to graduate school for speech pathology, taking prerequisite classes, working at two restaurants and as a tutor and trying to maintain a relationship with her boyfriend.
The result: She either was endlessly on the toilet or the exact opposite. She also had heartburn so severe she slept sitting up. "I couldn't be intimate with my boyfriend sometimes because I couldn't lie down," Jenkins says.
In varying forms, Jenkins' situation is familiar to many, especially women and particularly mothers. According to the American Psychological Association's (APA) "Stress In America" annual survey, women consistently report higher levels of stress than men. What's more, women are more likely to report physical manifestations of stress like upset stomach, muscular tension and appetite change. Among parents, mothers are more stressed than fathers--15% of moms reported high anxiety levels compared with only 3% of dads--and they are also more likely to report sleeplessness and unhealthy eating.
So why might women be more prone to stress and the accompanying physical symptoms than men? "Women carry multiple roles at once," says Elizabeth Ricanati, M.D., who heads Lifestyle 180, a wellness program at the Cleveland Clinic. "We're in the workforce, taking care of children, elderly parents, making sure the lunches are packed in the morning and taking care of the household. All that takes a toll."
Keep Reading: What's The Most Surprising Stress Symptom at ForbesWoman.com
Stress And Your Body Top signs of stress--and how to make them go away:
Stress Sign: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The colon is connected to the brain through nerves. That's why when we're worried or anxious, we can experience anything from nervous butterflies to cramps and diarrhea.
What you can do: Exercise, even movement as easy as walking, can help you burn off stressful energy while also helping to keep bowel movements and sleep patterns more regular. Adding fiber to your diet can also help improve how your intestines work.
Stress Sign: Frequent Colds
Stress is thought to lower our immunity, allowing ailments to take hold in our bodies. One study from Carnegie-Mellon University found that subjects who reported higher levels of stress were twice as likely to catch a cold than their less-stressed counterparts.
What you can do: Build a routine of social stress management techniques (an after-dinner dog walk, weekly coffee with friends, etc.), and remember to stick to it whether you "feel" like it or not, particularly during times of stress.
Stress Sign: Pregnancy Problems
"Pregnant women who experience chronic stress have increased risk for low- birth-weight infants and premature delivery," says Dr. David Battin, medical director of Blue Shield California.
What you can do: A healthy dose of "me time" doesn't have to mean hours. "Adjust your expectations and feel good about the time you do have," says Stephanie Smith, Psy.D., a psychologist with the American Psychological Association. "Even 5 to 10 minutes, if you make good use of it, can be just as effective as hours on end."
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