Inside Yoga 71 (15/3/13)

An article in the Guardian newspaper this week reported that several recent studies have come to the same conclusion: at work, and in general, women are feeling the pressures of stress more than their male peers.

One of the studies cited in the report is a 2008 study led by Yale’s Dr Tara Chaplin, whose research focuses on the role of gender and emotion. It found that women are more likely than men to feel sad and anxious because of stress. While other studies have found that women rely more on their social circles than men when stressed.

Dr Chaplin suggested that women – and in fact, just about anyone feeling stressed – use more active methods of coping, rather than succumb to negative emotions.

“Rather than just sit there and feel stressed and sad, try and think ‘OK, well what can I change about this situation to make myself less stressed?’ Or ‘What coping techniques can I use to make myself feel better?’ Take an active role and thinking of healthy ways to cope – which could be anything from exercise, meditating, using some new mindfulness techniques, taking breaks for yourself,” she said.

The Guardian ran its own research asking readers to send in their tips for coping with stress: with categories, exercises, talking it out or taking a break. The references to yoga and meditation as a way of reducing stress and coping were understandably of interest to me.

One said: “I recently began doing yoga classes and I was surprised to learn how much tension and stress I was holding in my body.”

While another wrote: “In order to manage stress I tend to work out at a gym and meditate. Without meditating I just ruminate in bed.”

To see the original newspaper reports, there are two links:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/14/women-experience-stress-work-research

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/14/young-women-stress-readers-respond