A New York Times Opinion article from a few days ago touched on the idea that women have been experiencing a greater level of unhappiness throughout the past thirty years, and is in continued decline. The article suggests that the feminist movement of the 1970’s is partially to blame, resulting in further responsibilities for women to take on (if they so choose, that is). It’s not that the sheer level of multi-tasking has increased, but the strong biological stress sensitivity that women have also increases as the result of more choices in life. As the article states, “If [women] once judged themselves on looks, kids, hubbies, gardens and dinner parties, now they judge themselves on looks, kids, hubbies, gardens, dinner parties - and grad school, work, office deadlines and meshing a two-career marriage.” Although women are, in general, happier because of the limitless choices in their lives; that same freedom is causing a lower level of satisfaction and happiness - the irony of life.
Stress is a huge contributor to unpleasant things happening in life, including back-pain, migraines, missed periods, or several other internal diseases. If this is the case, which it very often is, then Western medical treatments will not cure the problem because they are not addressing the cause: stress. Instead, the pain-killer used to relieve your migraine, for example, is covering the symptom so you can continue the stressful lifestyle and habits that are actually causing the pain in the first place. Helping, huh? Usually it just results in another visit to the doctor and another prescription medicine at a future date.
Stress is not only a reaction to ones environment, but also can become learned behaviour over time. Oftentimes, women are so taxed but unaware of it because of the years of compensating they’ve been able to develop. This does not equate to strength, because the ball does drop eventually. A lucky one will get chronic migraines from years of stress-compensation, an unlucky one may find out something far more serious at her next gyn exam. The time to begin working on reducing your stress is now, step-by-step, in digestible bites.
If you are experiencing stress-related uncomfortable symptoms, there are many things you can do to help relieve them - improving not only your quality of life now but also preventing potentially severe stress-induced disorder later in life. Changing your schedule around to allow some more time for yourself, is always a good start if possible. Exercise, plenty of sleep, healthy nutrition and meditation are all good ways to give back to your body and melt away stress. Sometimes the responsibility of alleviating one’s own stress is, ironically, more stressful. If that’s the case, then there is massage therapy, yoga classes, personal trainers, acupuncturists, homeopathists and herbalists to help gently nudge your body in the right direction.
We are dynamic human beings, and no matter the amount of abuse our bodies can endure for a certain amount of time, the wounds leftover won’t heal if the pressure is never lifted. Sometimes all the body needs is a good dose of rest, but being hopped up on caffeine all the time, pushing deadlines, and worrying about getting the kids from school and dinner on the table covers up the true fatigue your body is under. Likewise that it is unrealistic of us as a gender and society to expect that our bodies can put up with whatever we dish out without compromise, to live as monks with a perfect balance of sleep, meals, prayer and alone-time is not going to happen either (or even be healthy for us). But we can try in our own small ways to bring more peace into our lives. I urge you to try. Your health, your body….and perhaps even your happiness, will be so thankful.
NY Times Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/opinion/20dowd.html?_r=2&em
