The Impact of Chronic Stress on Women’s Health

Lady A, a 46-year-old Nigerian woman, visits the doctor. She runs a large store in Balogun market selling fashion items and is a mother of three children. Her eldest, a 16-year-old, has been throwing tantrums all week. Lady A also leads her community’s women’s club. She tells the doctor she has been struggling with sleep, experiencing severe headaches, and feeling pain in her back and neck. The doctor checks her blood pressure, asks further questions, and orders some blood tests and scans. When the results come back, everything appears normal, leaving Lady A puzzled.

This scenario reflects the experiences of many African women, who often juggle professional roles, income generation, and household responsibilities, while managing societal expectations. What many women may not realize is that stress could be the root cause of these issues.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), stress is a natural response to life’s challenges. However, when prolonged, it can lead to chronic stress, which causes various physical and emotional symptoms.

Stress can manifest physically as headaches, trouble sleeping, fatigue, back and neck pain, overeating or undereating, skin problems, and substance misuse. Emotionally, it can cause anxiety, depression, anger, mood swings, and feelings of being overwhelmed. Over time, chronic stress can lead to serious health conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, obesity, Type II diabetes, arthritis, and even addiction to substances or harmful behaviors.

Managing chronic stress requires practical steps such as exercising regularly, eating healthily, improving time management, and setting realistic goals. Adequate sleep, leisure activities, and developing stress reduction skills like mindfulness can also help. Seeking support from healthcare professionals or community groups like DébboAfrica can provide additional resources for managing stress effectively.

Written By Sharon Akinola