According to the American Psychological Association, women are
more likely to experience stress than men and less likely to feel confident in their ability to manage it. Another study published in the
Journal of Brain & Behavior found that women are twice as likely than men to suffer from severe anxiety and stress. Dealing with that stress can be very complex, especially when it affects other areas of the body.
Stress that comes as a result of a physical accident can be deeply compounding. For example, if you were to get into a car accident, the stress associated with the healing process and figuring out your financial situation can make the issue worse. According to the Barnes Firm, a team of
California injury lawyers, taking action towards getting a fair treatment can help you deal with a stressful situation. It’s not uncommon to suffer from anxiety when you believe you’ve been wronged in an accident. But it works the other way around, too.
Many people fail to realize that stress manifests itself in the body to create physical pain. When you don’t know how to deal with that physical pain, it creates an even more stressful scenario.
Your body reacts to your emotions and too much stress and pressure creates a burden on your overall health. With that in mind, it’s important to start thinking about how you can deal with stress and live a happier and healthier lifestyle. Here are healthy ways that women can deal with stress.
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Non-addictive Pain Management
As previously mentioned, stress can quickly become pain in the body. Whether you’re an over-pressured athletic woman or a mother suffering from chronic back pain after birth, knowing how to address pain—regardless of the source—is crucial.
Stress is particularly linked to lower back pain, which many women suffer from. If you find yourself struggling with chronic pain, it’s important that you take a non-addictive approach to pain management. With America in the midst of an opioid crisis, the last thing you want is to rely on pain killers that mask root causes of stress and create a physiological dependence. Instead, focus on non-addictive technology like the Energy Cell and alternative options like the solutions listed below.
Meditation
Meditation is a commonly used practice for stress relief and relaxation. It broadens your conscious awareness and helps you to rid your mind of all the busy and hectic thoughts by encouraging inner peace through breathing and balance. With regular practice, you are essentially training your mind to react better to stressful situations, thereby controlling your body’s dreaded “fight or flight” reaction to anxiety.
Despite the fact that there are a myriad of clear benefits of meditation for women, many people struggle to get started. The concept of meditation can be overwhelming, and the desire to “get it right” can create even more stress as you embark on a new mission. However, with just a few minutes per day, you can successfully get better and better. Many mobile
meditation apps are designed with beginners in mind. If you prefer in-person instruction, seek out local meditation centers and classes.
Therapy Sessions
Women’s issues can directly correlate to mental health, especially when you consider the historical challenges that have plagued women. Adverse portrayer in the media and society, oppression, and even motherhood are all contributing factors that play a role in mental health. Studies have also shown that women are more likely to develop eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.
Unfortunately, there is a major misconception regarding the benefits of therapy sessions and who therapy works best for. The fact is, almost everyone can benefit from therapy. However, because many people stigmatize therapy as a go-to treatment for those suffering from serious mental illness, it prevents individuals from getting the counseling they need. Although there are many types of therapy, what’s key is that each addresses proper coping mechanisms for handling stress.
For example, cognitive therapy addresses how negative thoughts infiltrate your mind throughout the day and further contribute to stress. It allows you to examine negative patterns of thought and helps you learn to condition your mind to think positively. And perhaps most importantly is that therapy can also help you unearth underlying causes of stress and anxiety that may be preventing you from moving forward in your life.
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Regular Exercise
Healthy exercise habits and mental health go hand in hand. Not only does exercise help boost your overall health, but it plays a critical role as a stress reliever. Your level of athletic experience and fitness doesn’t matter; anyone can do a little exercise (don’t overwork yourself and do what’s best for your individual body) and feel better.
It helps to join fitness classes dedicated exclusively to women, or even women-only gyms. These classes or facilities can decrease intimidation you might feel during exercise, and may offer equipment or facilities designed exclusively for the female body. Lastly, it’s a great way to network and meet new, like-minded friends.
What’s most important is consistency. It’s not uncommon to opt out of exercise when you’re stressed, simply because the idea of exercising seems stressful as well. But if you remind yourself that this is merely a preliminary barrier, you can work past this first hurdle with ease. Keep this in mind: you will almost never finish a productive run or workout session and return home regretting the work you put in. If you practice looking towards those feel good emotions you get when you’ve completed a routine, you’ll be able to better prepare yourself to take the first step time and time again.
Stress Diary
Maintaining a stress journal is a great way to learn to cope and self-analyze. Some studies suggest that routine journaling can strengthen immune cells called T-lymphocytes. As a stress management tool, it has the ability to wonders. When you express your thoughts coherently, you’re able to release pent up feelings and decipher your emotions in a productive way. As you record feelings of stress, you’ll start to notice patterns and consistencies from a high-level overview. You can opt for a traditional journal for logging your stressful moments, or use a stress diary template for guidance.
