Stress: Women react differently than men

Does everyday stress affect the bodies of women differently than men?

Indeed. Most studies that examine the biological response to stress comparing men and women find differences. Roughly one can say: Men are generally more susceptible to reacting extremely to infections, for example with sepsis. Women’s bodies are more likely to make immunological mistakes and accidentally produce antibodies against the body’s own substances, which means they are more likely to develop autoimmune diseases.

What exactly is happening in the body?

In men, an acute stressful stimulus such as an argument is more pronounced than in women, causing adrenaline to be released and the immune system to kick in at the same time. It then fights all germs, bacteria and viruses proactively and without making much difference. This is the so-called congenital Immune response. In women, stress has a different effect: it activates the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, a stress axis, rather permanently and brings the so-called learned Immune response gets going. The immune system acts precisely against certain germs and less generally than with the innate reaction. In this way, male bodies can cope better in a foreign environment, while women can tolerate foreign things in their bodies better, such as pregnancy.

What is also interesting is that there is also a connection between the stress hormone cortisol and the sex hormones. Testosterone and estrogen are produced less in stressful times, so libido decreases so that the stress of reproduction and worrying about the next generation are not added to it.

Do men and women deal with stress differently?

Stress has a different image for men and women. Biology is often used as an argument, which actually refers to social expectations of people. Because it causes the most stress to both sexes when they have to perform several roles perfectly at the same time, i.e. being a career person and a loving parent – and ideally without a break, without praise and without support. Such conflicts between work and family can cause overload, and they are currently more of an issue among women. So it’s not necessarily the case that men and women deal with stress differently. Rather, they experience different levels of it because society expects a certain behavior from them.

Do you have an example?

In our modern world, if a woman is expected to be able to start her career and juggle family planning at the same time, or if a man is expected to not only complete the annual report perfectly, but also do the Christmas baking for school, it quickly becomes overwhelming. Especially when clichés and negative expectations contribute to it: “you badass” or “you softie”. In both cases, not only is there a lack of support, it also becomes more difficult to acknowledge the overload and seek appropriate help.

What would be really helpful – for both?

Pay attention to symptoms that can be traced back to an imbalance: If I wake up unrested, if food doesn’t give me energy, if I tend to look for distraction and anesthesia, if exercise and being with other people don’t bring me joy, then it’s time to take a closer look at the causes and not just a message of perseverance.

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