Midlife stress and its ripple effect on health
Changing our relationship with stress
I don’t know quite when it happened, but stress caught up with me. And of course, stress’s best buddy anxiety came along for the ride. You know what made me sit up and take notice?
Disrupted sleep.
Once I don’t sleep well, I know I need to do something. For me, sleep is the barometer of health. It is like a mirror of what’s going on with my body.
I don’t love using the word stress because it’s such a vague term. We all need some level of stress to function every day. Stress becomes a problem when the daily challenges we face surpass our ability to cope.
And in midlife, the ability of our body to cope with stress is less robust. And it’s because of changes in our nervous system.
A New Nervous System
The changes to our brain and nervous system start earlier than we think. For instance, after the age of 35, brain volume decreases 0.2% per year. In fact, women have greater brain volume loss than men between the ages of 34-43. We also lose nerve cells with age, and the ones we have can atrophy.
Our central nervous system comprises nerve fibers that carry signals to and from our brain via the spinal cord to the rest of our body. Over time, messages between the brain and the body are slower than before.
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls the involuntary functioning of the body, including digestion, sleep, breathing, heart and organ function, or the ability to stay upright.
The ANS has two branches, including the sympathetic nervous system known as the “fight or flight” response to stress. And the parasympathetic nervous system controlled by the vagus nerve that works to calm the body or “rest and digest.”
Aging and hormonal changes shift the balance towards the sympathetic nervous system, overpowering the parasympathetic system.
In other words, our sympathetic nervous system dominates. Although we experience the same stressors, our bodies are no longer adapting as they once did.
Our new nervous system meets stress
I've noticed that my recovery after intense interactions with my teen daughter differs from hers. I’m left feeling this enormous weight, unable to focus on what I’m doing. Then I can hear her singing in the bathroom or laughing with a friend on the phone. What?
But it’s not just about prolonged discomfort on my part. The effect of chronic stress is a health issue. And it's related to The One Health Principle, which is crucial for our well-being. (By the way, that post is a must read if you haven’t read it already).
Hyperarousal induces changes through the HPA axis that help us adapt. The problem is this “stress response” increases both oxidative stress and inflammation. Over a short period, that is no big deal, but chronically, it’s an issue.
Cause guess what also decreases? Nitric oxide (NO), the magic midlife molecule. This further increases sympathetic tone, as NO helps to stimulate the vagus nerve.
Issues with anxiety, depression, and cognitive issues are also linked to stress. The activation of the HPA axis releases corticosterone, which causes oxidative stress in brain regions responsible for anxiety and depression.
I’m not saying stress is the sole cause of emotional issues, but it’s an overlooked contributor. Up to 50% of midlife women experience anxiety, depression, insomnia, and forgetfulness.
When my precious sleep was at risk, I was reminded about this. And what makes matters worse is a lack of sleep also increases sympathetic activity, creating a vicious cycle.
What’s a midlife woman to do?
Often, people assume that any anxiety or emotional disturbance experienced by midlife women is due to hormonal issues. Taking hormone therapy can help, but this is not a long-term solution.
Of course, removing the stressor or setting boundaries can be an option in some situations. Especially if you feel it's something that needs addressing.
I usually turn to breathing to help stimulate my vagus nerve and calm me, especially when I wake up in the middle of the night.
In a 2021 study in Scientific Reports, older individuals showed greater enhancement of parasympthatic activity after a single five-minute session of slow, deep breathing compared to younger individuals (HF power = parasympathetic activity).
Exercise is essential for me and proven to help manage stress. But breathing and exercise weren’t cutting it, which means I needed to tackle the stress side of it.
A study I ran across reminded me of something else I could use: mindfulness meditation. Over 8 weeks, the researchers divided 120 midlife women into two groups: one group received mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for one hour a week, while the other group underwent a control routine intervention.
About 25% of the women had anxiety, and it was linked to worse menopause symptoms. After the 8-week MBSR program, anxiety and mindfulness improved more than the control group. What’s even more interesting is that the MBSR group showed increases in estrogen and decreases in FSH.
Through meditation and body awareness, MBSR awakened individuals’ inner focus and helped patients regulate their emotions, relieving pressure and pain and achieving the purpose of relieving anxiety symptoms
-Huang, Am J Transl Res, 2023
Jon Kabat-Zinn created MBSR, a program that enhances awareness of emotions and their physical sensations. Studies have demonstrated that MBSR is effective in reducing not only anxiety and stress but also menopausal symptoms.
I remembered I had done a free 8-week online program years ago and have revisited it (along with deep breathing ; ). It’s the Palouse program and you can move at your own pace. One hour a week for 8 weeks is doable. And I’m already feeling (and sleeping) better.
How could I forget about the effects of stress? I’ve been sleeping well for so long; it was the reminder I needed to get it in check. You see, at midlife; we get these blaring signs that say TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!
How is your stress these days? What have you found that helps you cope?