INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
March 8th

“What would men be without women? Scarce, sir... mighty scarce.” (Mark Twain)
A woman has an awesome strength which empowers her to handle any problem that comes her way. She holds happiness, love and opinions. She smiles when she feels like screaming. If a woman’s persuasion can build a nation then ‘we run the world’.
According to wiki.answers, two third of the world’s work is done by women. In most cases, it is the women who run the household and who care for the children. Additionally, many women contribute to the household income at the same time. Women are often the first to get up and the last to go to bed. Women need to do twice as much as men to prove she is half as good - this is often taken for granted. Hardly anyone thinks that women should be thanked for the hard work that they accomplish every single day - until the day that she are not around and her husband needs to take over… Let’s face it: a woman’s life is beautiful but also exhausting and stressful.
Significantly more women than men are found to suffer from stress, especially when they are mothers. While stress is a risk factor for a variety of health problems, it also affects her and her family’s daily life: * Changes in affection: Stress results in poorer relationships and less affection. On the other hand, affection reduces stress hormones and contributes to a lower stress level. * Reduced Sex Drive: Stress may lower libido because elevated levels of stress hormones cortisol suppress the body’s natural sex hormones. * Insomnia: Stress is a common cause of insomnia, which can in turn lead to difficulty concentrating, irritability and a lack of motivation. * Depression: Women are twice as likely to experience depression as men. In many cases, stress is an important trigger for depression. * Irregular Menstrual Periods: Acute and chronic stress can fundamentally alter the body's hormone balance, which can lead to missed, late or irregular periods. * Acne Breakouts: Raised levels of stress hormones can cause excess oil production that contributes to the development of acne breakouts. * Poor Digestion: Prolonged stress can greatly impact the digestive system by increasing stomach acid, causing indigestion and discomfort, and partly contributing to the development of ulcers. Reducing stress is key to maintaining a healthy digestive system. * Weight Gain: High stress levels are also correlated with increased appetite and sugar cravings, which can lead to weight gain. * Decreased Fertility: Women with high levels of stress tend to have more difficulties getting pregnant. * Increased Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke: Women under high amounts of stress are more likely to experience a cardiovascular event (a heart attack or stroke) than those with low levels of stress. Strokes are also more common among individuals with stressful lives and tightly-wound personalities.

What women can do about stress
Stress cannot be prevented; we can only learn to manage it and keep it from destroying us. This brings up some important issues women need to be aware of: * Attitudinal changes: Focus on the positive. This will help your body function a lot smoother in pressure times. Be realistic in what you can achieve and be aware that no woman is perfect. Plus few things are really as important as women tend to perceive them. Take life a little bit easier. * Understand gender differences in stress: If you feel more stressed than your male counterparts, don't take it as a sign that you're not handling stress as well; you might simply experience more stress. Give yourself a pat on the back for handling what you already are, and move confidently on. * Eliminate what you can: To maintain a reasonable level of daily stress, women need to get used to the idea of setting priorities and saying no. * Exercise: is a great stress reliever. It pumps more oxygen into your body that helps you to think more clearly and your body releases hormones that make you feel happier. * Eating Healthy: Studies have shown that unbalanced foods affect your mental health. Instead of cramming your system down with minerals, fried foods, fastfood, candy and the like, begin feeding yourself more fruits and vegetables. You’ll be surprised how much more energetic you’ll feel. Better nutrition equals less stress. While some people feel that alcohol makes them feel relaxed, it is known to contribute to depression. * Medical checkup and treatment: Go for regular checkups. Many women die of stress and heart diseases because they had little or no time for themselves. On the other hand, their daily stress prevents women from participating screenings. Take the time! NHIS also covers consultations for mental health, including stress. * Communicate: Talking to others -- preferably face-to-face or at least on the phone -- is a great way to better manage whatever is stressing you out. It could possibly also provide with a solution to some of your problems or change your respective perceptions.

What men can do to reduce their wife’s stress
The International Women’s Day is your opportunity to tell your wife how much you appreciate her. It is also your opportunity to reflect how you can support your wife better. * Emotional support and affection: Many women do not receive those sufficiently from their husbands but they are the ground rule for keeping a woman stable and happy, also in difficult times. One old couple declared that one reason of their long marriage is that they never go to bed without having reconciled. This is hard but worth the effort. * Communication: Never give up communication. Even if she says there is nothing, there is often something that puts her down. Find out about her worries. Even if you cannot contribute to a solution, alone the fact having discussed the issue with her makes a woman feel supported (see above). * Time for herself: Many women feel stressed out because they have no time for them-selves. Make sure your wife gets the time to exercise, to meet friends, to have fun, to have medical checkups, whatever. Go out with her and enjoy a special evening without the daily worries and angers. And please ensure that the work still gets done before she is back. Fearing the double work the next day does not reduce her stress level at all. * Help her: Even though lots of things may be traditionally a woman’s task, think about what you can do to reduce her work load. Many men complain about their wives being constantly tired. What do you expect? Somebody who works all day is tired in the evening. The only solution is reducing her workload, whatever way you may choose.