Many times we are so busy going though the motions of life that we may not even be aware of how our busy schedules or daily habits are impacting our physical, mental, spiritual or emotional well being.
🍃April is stress awareness month and I want to take this opportunity to bring awareness to mommas and busy women because I know all too well the impact stress can have in our lives. While stress is a natural response to life’s challenges, when stress becomes chronic, it can lead to a wide range of negative consequences. I don’t want you to feel guilty or shame yourselves, there’s a variety of factors that contribute to stress and sometimes things are completely out of our control and there are times we have to live in survival mode.
🍃Today I’m discussing what happens to women when we live in a stressed state, to bring awareness to our lives and to share the impact of long term stress. So that together we can evaluate our current life and seek opportunities to make some adjustments, so we can live a healthier life. If you’re a mom this can be an opportunity to lead our children to practices that help them manage stress as they grow up.
🍃Sometimes we don’t realize the side effects of our lifestyle until it’s too late and we’re experiencing mental breakdowns, anxiety, depression, weight gain, trouble sleeping and messed up menstrual cycles.
At that point we’re left wondering what’s going on and what is causing these issues.
Many times stress is the contributing factor… here are 4 signs you’re living in chronic stress.
1. Physical Health is Declining🍃
Chronic stress can take a heavy toll on the body. When women experience prolonged stress, the body remains in a constant “fight-or-flight” mode, which increases the production of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, this can cause:
Weakened immune system: Stress suppresses the immune system, leading to illnesses like colds, flu, and other infections.
Digestive problems: Stress can interfere with digestion, leading to issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, and heartburn.
Cardiovascular issues: Chronic stress increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, as it puts a strain on the heart and blood vessels.
Weight gain or loss: Stress can disrupt eating habits, leading to overeating (often high-calorie, comfort foods) or a loss of appetite. Stress can also impact hormone health in women, affecting metabolism and fat storage/ usage and insulin resistance generally leading to weight gain.
Sleep disturbances:I’m sure you can relate to those nights that you lay awake for hours and you can’t turn your brain off. Or, that middle of the night wake up call that’s hard to fall back to sleep often making you feel tired all day long.
2. Mental Health Struggles 🍃
The constant pressure and overwhelm many women/ mommas experience can lead to:
Anxiety: The persistent worry and racing thoughts that accompany stress can trigger feelings of anxiety.
Depression: Chronic stress increases the risk of developing depression, particularly if a woman feels helpless or trapped in her circumstances.
Cognitive decline (aka BRAIN FOG): Stress impacts the brain, leading to poor memory, difficulty concentrating, and slower decision-making. Over time, chronic stress can impair brain function, affecting everything from learning to problem-solving.
3. Emotional Instability🍃
Stress affects how women perceive and respond to emotions. The emotional toll of chronic stress can manifest as:
Irritability: Women under stress may become more irritable or easily frustrated, especially when juggling multiple responsibilities.
Mood swings: Stress can lead to sudden shifts in mood, from feeling overwhelmed and tearful to feeling angry and short-tempered.
Emotional exhaustion: The weight of chronic stress can leave a woman feeling emotionally drained and disconnected from her own feelings and the feelings of others.
4. Troubled Relationships 🍃
When we get stressed out it often spills over into our relationships. Stress can create tension, communication breakdowns, and emotional withdrawal,
which can lead to:
Tension in relationships with family and friends: Constant stress can make it difficult for women to engage fully with their partners, children, or friends, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts.
Lowered intimacy: Chronic stress can diminish sexual desire and intimacy, impacting relationships with our partner.
Living in stress sucks, I’ve been there and it’s not the quality of life I want any woman or momma to go through. When you feel like you’ve lost control of your body, mind and emotions it can feel overwhelming. You might feel like your world is spinning out of control and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. The best thing we can do in those moments is pause and bring awareness to what might be happening in our lives so we can take action and turn things around and live a calmer, healthier life.
🍃If your noticing your physical health is not what it used to be, your struggling with anxiety/ depression/ brain fog, feeling irritable and overwhelmed or noticing tension between your close family and friends these can be signs your dealing with chronic stress in your life. Awareness is the first step so I encourage you to get curious about yourself and notice patterns in your life. I generally find it helpful to keep a journal to help bring awareness to how you might be thinking and feeling on a daily basis and help recognize triggers. Once you’re aware of what’s going on you can take steps to improve physical, emotional and mental wellbeing and be the best version of yourself for you, your family, career and life in general.
🍃Grab my FREE 30 Day Stress Awareness Challenge for SIMPLE daily suggestions to help you lower stress and live in a calmer state, physically mentally and spiritually.
➡️Stress awareness challenge Download
https://momplicity.blog/product/stress-awareness-challenge/
