Why Do Women Suffer More Stress?

According to studies, women suffer much more stress than men. One of the main reasons is Hormones. Cortisol, Oxytocin and Epinephrine are those hormones that play a major role in it. When stress hits, cortisol and epinephrine raise a person’s blood pressure and circulating blood sugar level, cortisol alone lowers the effectiveness of the immune system.

According to Robert Sapolsky, PhD, professor of neurobiology at Stanford University, \”People used to think there was a difference in the amounts of cortisol released during a stressful situation in women, the thinking was women released more of this hormone, and that produced all sorts of nutty theories about why women are so emotional.\”
Sapolsky explains the fact that there is no consistent difference in cortisol production between men and women. It all comes down to the hormone called oxytocin.

When a woman goes through a stressful situation; cortisol and epinephrine rush through the bloodstream, oxytocin comes into play. Oxytocin is released from the brain, countering the production of the other two hormones, and promoting nurturing relaxing emotions.

While men also secrete Oxytocin when they’re stressed out, but in a much smaller amount. That’s why women tend and befriend in a stressful situation and men either bottle it up and escape or fight back.

Further explained why and how Men & Women deal with stress differently.