The Impact of Gender and Stress on Your Body
By Better Health Research Team • Apr 5th, 2010 • Category: Health E-Hint
Stress can present not only emotional side effects but physical side effects, as well. In fact, when it comes to the impact stress can have on your body, studies show that men and women react differently. This variation in response can sometimes mean a difference in the severity of conditions such as heart disease, depression and autoimmune disorders.
A study conducted at the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston monitored brain activity for men and women while they reviewed stress-triggering images. The findings reveal that the reaction to stressful stimuli was stronger for men compared to women during varied episodes. This heightened response could impact the progression of certain diseases.
By studying the differences levels of stress impact on men and women, scientists hope it will lead to the development of sex-specific treatments that could be effective.
Natural solutions for stress include meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and supplements such as chamomile, valerian root, blue vervain, passionflower extract and primrose oil.
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