Why women are more stressed out than ever

What you probably already know: Women have always tended to report higher levels of stress and are less likely to prioritize their own mental and physical health. University of Florida researchers recently found that women have a much greater tendency to internalize their responses to acute stress because of differences in the brain’s molecular mechanisms that may contribute to higher levels of anxiety and depression. While women seem to be faring worse, we’re all stressed out. The State of Mental Health in America Report finds that 23% of adults, or 60 million Americans, experienced a mental illness in the past year, while 5% of adults and 13% of youth reported having serious thoughts of suicide. There are 340 people for every one mental health provider in the U.S.

Why it matters: The American Institute of Stress says women increasingly rate their stress levels higher than men and feel stress differently, reporting more stomach conditions that can cause irritable bowel syndrome — a condition twice as common in women as in men. Women are more at risk for stress-related weight gains and the negative effect of stress “may be greater for women younger than age 50 with a history of heart problems.” Women also “strongly agree” that others don’t understand how stressed they are and tend to be reluctant to share their struggles. Stress rates are rising particularly fast for women of color.

What it means: Almost three quarters of women say they share the stress of friends and family because of societal and internal pressure to “take on this emotional labor.” In a study released last May, Talker Research says only 18% of women are “very open” about their own stress levels and more than half fake being fine when they aren’t. The average American woman feels stress about five hours a day, and younger generations report being even more stressed out. “High stress levels impact quality of sleep (44%), ability to focus (34%) and have a negative effect on mental health (34%).”

What happens next: Women say their employers could provide more support. Four in 10 say they feel high levels of stress about their household finances, 11 percentage points higher than men. Nearly seven in 10 say their employer should provide benefits that address their financial stress, and almost half fear they won’t have enough money for a comfortable retirement. LIMRA — a research, consulting and professional development firm headquartered in Connecticut — urges employers to provide more educational resources before and during open enrollment, noting that more resources could help workers, particularly women, understand the benefits available to them.” Psychology Today notes that research in stress-related orders such as PTSD and depression has predominantly used male rodents, but there’s now a shift toward broader inclusion in study subjects.