Stress has become ubiquitous in modern life. We experience it when events exceed what we feel able to cope with. Every woman’s stress threshold will differ based on nature, upbringing, past experiences and available resources. We are living in unprecedented times. Women today juggle more than ever before: working, raising families, running homes. All this whilst also under pressure to look and perform a certain way. It’s no surprise that women are likely to experience stress on an ongoing basis.

The impact of stress on our body

Stress triggers the release of cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline to help us cope with a perceived threat. The problem is that our biology evolved over millions of years to respond to ancestral dangers like predators and famine, not late-night emails or the challenges of school run before work. However, the hormonal response is the same.

Cortisol, the key stress hormone, helps us survive this ‘threat’. It raises blood sugar and blood pressure, suppresses immunity, encourages fat storageand signals to the reproductive system that now is not a safe time to conceive.

Over time, chronically elevated cortisol can lead to:
• Blood sugar dysregulation and insulin resistance (driving fat gain and muscle loss)
• Impaired thyroid function
• Disturbed sleep
• Menstrual cycle disruption

Early warning signs

Because women's hormones are so responsive to perceived safety, the impact often appears in subtle ways first: worsening PMS, irregular or missed periods, persistent fatigue, acne, unexplained weight gain, low mood and even symptoms mimicking perimenopause. These early signals are worth listening to.