As I sit here reviewing materials on the impact of stress on a woman’s well being and health I couldn’t help but to think of Michelle Obama, wife of the Democratic nominee for the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Senator Barack Obama.

What must the stress level be like for this woman? She must tend to the health and well being of her children while working hand in hand to promote her husband’s candidacy as the first black man running for the U.S. presidency. Her every comment becomes fodder for media conjecture and debate. Let’s not even begin on the real substantial stuff that gets folks going like whether she smiles enough or not!

Need I say more? Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton are my poster girls for the millions of women in this country and around the world who manage stress every day in conjunction with their roles as mothers and caregivers.

That’s an important point: women respond to stress by tending to others and reaching out to social networks for support. We “tend and befriend”…and apparently this reaction is stimulated by our unique chemistry. Aren’t we special?

For your benefit I’ve presented here some of the points about stress and women’s health as detailed by the U.S. Department and Health & Human Services.

What are some of the most common causes of stress?

Stress can arise for a variety of reasons. Stress can be brought about by a traumatic accident, death, or emergency situation. Stress can also be a side effect of a serious illness or disease.

There is also stress associated with daily life, the workplace, and family responsibilities. It’s hard to stay calm and relaxed in our hectic lives. As women, we have many roles: spouse, mother, caregiver, friend, and/or worker. With all we have going on in our lives, it seems almost impossible to find ways to de-stress. But it’s important to find those ways. Your health depends on it.

What are some early signs of stress?

Stress can take on many different forms, and can contribute to symptoms of illness. Common symptoms include headache, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating, short-temper, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, low morale, depression, and anxiety.

How do women tend to react to stress?

We all deal with stressful things like traffic, arguments with spouses, and job problems. Some researchers think that women handle stress in a unique way: we tend and befriend.

• Tend : women protect and care for their children
• Befriend : women seek out and receive social support

During stress, women tend to care for their children and find support from their female friends. Women’s bodies make chemicals that are believed to promote these responses. One of these chemicals is oxytocin (ahk-see-toe-sin), which has a calming effect during stress. This is the same chemical released during childbirth and found at higher levels in breastfeeding mothers, who are believed to be calmer and more social than women who don’t breastfeed. Women also have the hormone estrogen, which boosts the effects of oxytocin. Men, however, have high levels of testosterone during stress, which blocks the calming effects of oxytocin and causes hostility, withdrawal, and anger.

How does stress affect my body and my health?

Everyone has stress. We have short-term stress, like getting lost while driving or missing the bus. Even everyday events, such as planning a meal or making time for errands, can be stressful. This kind of stress can make us feel worried or anxious.

Other times, we face long-term stress, such as racial discrimination, a life-threatening illness, or divorce. These stressful events also affect your health on many levels. Long-term stress is real and can increase your risk for some health problems, like depression.

Both short and long-term stress can have effects on your body. Research is starting to show the serious effects of stress on our bodies. Stress triggers changes in our bodies and makes us more likely to get sick. It can also make problems we already have worse. It can play a part in these problems:

• trouble sleeping
• headaches
• constipation
• diarrhea
• irritability
• lack of energy
• lack of concentration
• eating too much or not at all
• anger
• sadness

• higher risk of asthma and arthritis flare-ups

• tension
• stomach cramping
• stomach bloating
• skin problems, like hives

• depression
• anxiety
• weight gain or loss
• heart problems
• high blood pressure

• irritable bowel syndrome
• diabetes
• neck and/or back pain
• less sexual desire
• harder to get pregnant

What are some of the most stressful life events?

Any change in our lives can be stressful-even some of the happiest ones like having a baby or taking a new job. Here are some of life’s most stressful events.

• death of a spouse
• divorce
• marital separation
• spending time in jail
• death of a close family member
• personal illness or injury
• marriage
• pregnancy
• retirement

From the Holmes and Rahe Scale of Life Events (1967)