Hurried Woman Syndrome: Epidemic or the latest health hype?

Feeling Rushed or Driven?

For many American women, rushing to and from work, home, school — then getting up and doing it all over again — has become the norm. Juggling a spouse, children, boss, social commitments, family members, and friends adds up to a hectic lifestyle that can put your physical and mental health in the dumps. Talk about desperate housewives!

The term “Hurried Woman Syndrome” was first coined by US researcher Dr. Brent Bost, who says more and more women appear to be suffering from it. HWS tends to affect women between 25 and 55, or women who try to do too many things in a short space of time.

Women are still the
natural caregivers in most families, and for a variety of reasons are
more vulnerable than men to stress-induced illnesses. If left
untreated, the stress of round-the-clock responsibilities and demanding
lifestyles can lead to a general unhappiness with life. “Sometimes the
stress can’t be avoided, but for a majority of women, stresses can be
managed from lifestyle choices that women make,” says Dr. Bost.

Studies conducted at the Wake Forest University’s Baptist Medical
Center (published in the Journal of the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists) have found that estrogen may help
protect women until menopause. But ongoing studies reveal that stress
can strip away that protection, and anything that reduces estrogen (and
stress is a big culprit), puts women on a high-risk course for numerous
illnesses.

HWS can cause a number of stress related indicators such as tiredness,
anxiety, moodiness, increased or lack of appetite, weight loss or gain,
trouble sleeping, forgetfulness, lack of motivation, and feelings of
guilt and low self-esteem. And, if you stay forever hurried, you may
neglect these telltale symptoms altogether, putting yourself at risk
for numerous health-related illnesses. The stress can damage the heart,
cause blood pressure problems, and several other medical complications
including depression. In fact, on average, stress-related problems
account for at least one-third of medical problems, and another
one-third is treated simply by controlling stress.

Talk to your doctor

To break the cycle, take that first, all-important step: visit your
doctor. He or she can rule out medical conditions like anemia, thyroid
problems, and other metabolic disorders, which can cause similar
symptoms. Your doctor can determine if you’re experiencing stress, or
if your symptoms can be managed by making lifestyle changes to
de-stress your life, such as these:
Prioritize and delegate ~ If your day is full of work tasks, home
chores, and caring responsibilities, it is important to prioritize jobs
and delegate tasks others can do. Enlist the help of your partner or a
relative in taking the children to and from school and extra curricular
activities. Or find a suitable career that will help to manage life’s
demands so you can watch over an elderly relative while you get on with
other things.

Put yourself first ~ It’s important to put yourself first some of the
time. Be sure to give yourself “time outs” by treating yourself to an
outing, a pampering session, mini-vacation (by yourself), a spa, or a
shopping trip alone.

Relax ~ Employ some relaxation techniques to help you unwind such as
listening to soothing music, meditating, taking a hot bath, going for a
peaceful walk, or a gentle bike ride. Or curl up and read that book or
magazine you’ve intended to get to for so long.

Get enough sleep ~ Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and rest.
Tiredness can contribute to a lack of energy and could lead to
musculo-skeletal problems like back, neck and shoulder pain.

Eat well ~ Don’t rush or put off meals in order to get other jobs done.
This could affect your digestive system and bring on diarrhea or
constipation. The latter could occur especially if you’re too busy to
go to the toilet because you’ve rushed off immediately after a meal,
or, are not eating healthy.

Exercise ~ Supplement a balanced healthy diet with exercise to maintain
energy levels and keep in overall good shape. Where possible, replace
driving with walking or cycling, take up swimming, or enroll in a
fitness class, or follow an approved exercise video.

It’s okay to aim to be a superwoman, but only after you have equipped
yourself with the necessary skills, like time management, anxiety
management, and ability to compartmentalize life. Women must work
towards making life more stable for themselves, and never forget that
their own well-being must be at the top of the list, not the bottom,
explains Dr. Bost. “Life doesn’t need to feel this hurried.”