Stress and Women at their Middle Age

Stress! This is the one buzzword used by every human being, irrespective of their age!

A small child says he is having a lot of stress as his mother asks him not to do this and that, a kid attending the kindergarten expresses that he is undergoing too much stress as his teacher asks him to do the homework(I know one little boy, who was very much stressed and said his mother that he will not go to school from the next day as his teacher did not wear the lengthy colourful beads mala, which she usually wear!), teens – no need to say, middle-aged people, finally, how can we leave the old aged people? Everyone screams “STRESS”!

In my observation, there is no one in existence who is free from stress, maybe a considerable percentage of people know how to manage it! Others are struggling with it trying to find a way to come out of it.

Particularly, women in their middle age are the worst affected people by stress, I can say. My cousin, who was a carefree lady at her young age, making fun all the time without bothering about anything, became very serious all of a sudden when she was forty-five. She has gone up in her profession, her son was in plus two, and her mother fell sick. She could not handle all these things together. After taking some medication and following mindfulness techniques she is managing herself now. She is not the only person facing this situation, am I right? Actually, I was also a victim a few months ago with stress leading to some health issues including high blood pressure and disturbed sleep!

Middle-aged women face a unique set of challenges. Professional pressures, and family commitments combined with hormonal fluctuations, may increase stress levels, leading to anxiety, and even physical health problems. At this stage of life, women often juggle a variety of roles— professionals, homemakers, mothers, wives, grandmothers, and sometimes, caregivers for any family member who falls sick or aging parents(or parents-in-law). 

The prime reason for women facing this stress is that they take responsibility for all that their family members have to do! I have to send my husband to the office, why can he not go to the office? I have to ensure my son drives the car carefully, is he not having the responsibility? My daughter has to be safe when she goes out and advise her on what she can do and what she should not do… Can’t she manage herself? Putting too much stuff into the head and getting stressed!

Yes, middle-aged women often place the needs of others before their own. They give the least priority to their own needs. They do things for their family, I can say they sacrifice their comfort for that at the cost of their health and mental peace. But taking care of their own self is supremely important to managing stress. Self-care doesn’t just mean taking a facial and pedicure! It includes nourishing their body, mind, and soul. 

Studies reveal that physical exercise reduces stress hormones and elevates mood. It doesn’t have to be an intense workout at the gym. Regular walking, yoga, or even gardening will help. You might have heard from elders saying just go out for a walk when you are feeling low! 

Eating a balanced diet helps stabilize mood and energy levels. An Ayurveda doctor who is a specialist in mental health says avoiding too much caffeine or sugar, especially later in the day, can also help prevent mood swings. 

Another important factor is quality sleep! Deep sleep is revitalising which allows the body and mind to recharge. Sleeping patterns might change as one is getting aged. Having a relaxing bedtime routine and importantly avoiding screens can help improve sleep(I will share my experience on this and the method I follow to have undisturbed sleep!).

Physical activity, nutrition, and sleep are the major components of self-care! When you make time for yourself, you improve your emotional wellbeing and handle life’s stresses more easily.

Also, we are aware that middle-aged women are going through hormonal imbalances in addition to major life changes. Managing stress requires learning how to calm the mind and body. Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness can help reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and improve emotional balance. Even just ten minutes a day can make a difference. Practicing mindfulness in everyday activities, such as eating or walking, helps to keep one grounded and calm. This might help improve their mental clarity and focus,

People become stressed when they feel there’s too much to do in a little time. For middle-aged women, as they have multiple roles to play leading to multiple responsibilities, effective time management will help to manage their stress levels. How to complete all the within the short span available? Using a planner or digital calendar we can organize our day and set specific times for work, self-care, and rest. Also, we can break the bigger tasks into smaller parts and complete them as per the priority.

Balancing professional and personal responsibilities is a key factor in managing stress in middle-aged women. Setting a clear distinction between office and household work is the first step for that. Being mindful about not bringing the office work to home will help to balance. Ensure that you have an exclusive slot for your own personal time, keep all the work aside, and have a cup of coffee (holding the cup with both hands!) or read something you like, or listen to your favorite music.  

Setting realistic expectations is yet another important factor in managing stress! It’s ok if sometimes we are not doing the work that we are expected to do or do something not to the expected perfection. Be kind to yourself and let go sometimes if perfection is not achieved.

At their middle age, women miss out on their friends and other relationships being immersed in their other compelling activities! This adds fuel to the fire of stress. So, reconnecting with old friends, connecting to new people, and maintaining meaningful relationships with them will help to enhance our emotional well-being and stress relief. We can reduce the accumulation of stress when we have a support system, and someone to share our emotions, what do you say?

Self-awareness helps you to identify what stresses you. Work pressure or old age parents or children – education or children moving away for their career or getting married or any specific incident, etc. Sometimes, it may be because of accumulating all these and externally managing but inside developing pressure! Once you know what triggers your stress, you can start planning strategies to reduce or mitigate these causes.

As this stage of life brings a shift in their priorities, women often struggle to manage stress in their midlife. Managing stress for them is about creating a balanced and focused life that nurtures both the mind and body.