~*~STRESS~*~
Men’s real feelings get lost in the scramble of stress and women are more likely to take an eraser to the problem. Stressed women know it, live it and spend time trying to do something about it. In the wake of new survey results released this week, numbers support the stereotype that women are more aware of feeling than men. The American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey finds that women historically have reported higher levels of stress than men and did so again in 2011. On a 1-to scale of little to no stress, women report stress at a level of 5.4 and men at a 4.8. The gender divide is more pronounced when it comes to dealing with the stress or even wanting to own up to it.
Stress happens when people perceive that the demands they face, work, school or relationships and then exceeds their ability to cope say experts with the psychological association. At times, some stress can be beneficial because it gives your body a boost of energy that can drive you to get through tough situations such as exams or work deadlines. On the other hand, an extreme amount of stress can be harmful to your health by taking an emotional toll on you, result in anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Stress can also contribute to the development of major illnesses such as heart disease, depression and obesity.
Women think it is more important to manage stress and believe that they are not doing a good job of it, but men report being less concerned about managing stress and are also more likely to say they are doing enough about it. Social support is very beneficial to cardiovascular health and longevity. It is possible that women just have more stress in their lives, in terms of certain societal issues such as gender discrimination, sexual abuse and traumas. Women as a result tend to use more stress reducers such as reading, exercising or spending time with friends and family.
Exercise reduces feelings of anxiety and tension and can minimize future stress. The exercise needs to be higher intensity or long duration to have a beneficial effect on later stressors.
Take a break-you can’t avoid the stressor, but you can momentarily get away from that project at work, the crying baby or that mountain of bills. Even just a 15 minute break helps to give you a new perspective.
Get social support-sharing your feelings with another person who will just listen is another reliever of stress. Don’t share those concerns with someone who adds to the stress. The person you talk to needs to be someone you trust and who understands you and can validate you.
Trying to keep thinking positive even during stressful times helps to relieve some effects of stress. Remember that there is simply things that we cannot change.
| The Serenity Prayer | |
 | God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. --Reinhold Niebuhr |
