Category: Science

How Stress Affects Women Differently

Manushree Kanchi
August 2025

Imagine there are two people experiencing the same stressful situation, such as a close deadline or a family conflict. While both feel the pressure, science reveals that a woman’s brain and body often react more intensely for a longer period than a man’s. While stress is a universal experience, it is not one that is equal for all. Research indicates that women usually experience higher levels of stress with more physical symptoms, such as headaches, and additional stress-related disorders.^[1]

Neuroscience of Stress in Women

The brain’s stress response comes from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, playing a crucial role in the neuroendocrine response to stress. This system regulates the body’s response to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol ^[2]. Studies show that women usually demonstrate higher baseline cortisol levels and prolonged stress responses in comparison to men during times of emotional stress. This can lead to women becoming more vulnerable to anxiety disorders over time ^[3]. 

MRI studies also indicate that women and men process stress differently at the neural level. When exposed to stressors, women show increased activity in the amygdala, a region in the brain involved in emotional processing. On the other hand, men show more prefrontal cortex activity associated with cognitive regulation. This difference highlights why women may experience stress as more emotionally overwhelming ^[4].

Hormonal Influences

Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone play an important role in regulating stress responses. Estrogen has been proven to increase the HPA axis response to stress, while progesterone may have a decreasing effect ^[5]. These fluctuations occur during the menstrual cycle, leading to variations in the NPA axis reactivity. This can make it increasingly difficult to maintain consistent stress management strategies while also causing disruptions to fertility.

Social and Psychological Factors

Social and environmental factors largely contribute to the gender differences in stress response as well. Women are more likely to endure chronic stressors because of caregiving and other social expectations, strengthening neuroendocrine stress responses ^[6]. Long-term exposure to stressors such as these has been repeatedly linked to high rates of stress-related disorders in women.

Implications for Wellbeing

Recognizing the way in which stress affects women differently is crucial for the development of prevention and disorder treatments. In the meantime, methods such as incorporating physical activity into daily routine and utilizing mindfulness practices have been shown to aid in decreasing gender specific reactions to stress.^[7]

Stress is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Biological and social differences combined can cause women’s stress responses to be more complex, and eventually more damaging. Acknowledging these existing differences is the first step in creating methods that genuinely meet a woman’s mental and physical needs.

References 

[1] Reid, M. (2024, July 30). Are Women More Stressed than Men? Experts Say Yes—Here’s Why. Evie. https://eviering.com/blogs/news/are-women-more-stressed-than-men-experts-say-yes-here-s-why

[2] Sharan, P., & Vellapandian, C. (2024). Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis: Unveiling the potential mechanisms involved in stress-induced alzheimer’s disease and depression. Cureus, 16(8). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.67595

[3] Balhara, Y. P. S., Verma, R., & Gupta, C. S. (2012). Gender differences in stress response: Role of developmental and biological determinants. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 20(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-6748.98407

[4] Why Men and Women Need Different Stress Strategies – The American Institute of Stress. (2025, January 22). The American Institute of Stress. https://www.stress.org/news/why-men-and-women-need-different-stress-strategies/

[5] Sun, Q., Li, G., Zhao, F., Dong, M., Xie, W., Liu, Q., Yang, W., & Cui, R. (2024). Role of estrogen in treatment of female depression. Aging. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.205507

[6] Liat Helpman. (2023). On the stress of being a woman: The synergistic contribution of sex as a biological variable and gender as a psychosocial one to risk of stress-related disorders. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 150, 105211–105211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105211

[7] Kinghorn, K. (2023, December 12). Therapy Utah. Therapy Utah -. https://www.therapyutah.org/is-womens-mental-health-taken-seriously-enough/

Cold Water Immersion, Yes or No? 

Harika Maganti
August 2025

Cold plunges and cold showers have long been popular in healthy living circles although originating from traditional practices in many northern cultures. It involves either immersion or showering in cold water for a given period of time. This is done mainly to improve focus, circulation, and many other purported health benefits. However, is it truly helpful for women? Let’s take a plunge into the research and find out.

General Systemic Effects  

The main effect one can notice immediately with a cold shower or plunge is that the body tries to regulate heat production to maintain the normal temperature. So, although at first you might feel cold, after some time the water feels more bearable. What exactly is happening here? Our skin gets heat from the underlying blood vessels (our blood is warm!). When we get exposed to cold, our body first tries to preserve warmth by restricting the vessels, then after a few minutes it dilates the vessels to try and get that area warm again. ^[1] A secondary response to cold exposure is shivering, which attempts to increase heat production by continuous contraction of the skeletal muscles.^[1] This activity in turn increases the body’s metabolism and makes us warmer. Typically shivering starts when the body’s core temperature falls between 36.2°to 36.5° C. ^[1]

Pros and Cons

Now coming to some benefits of cold water immersion, the first noticeable benefits are mental. Many people report that they feel sharper, more alert and focused after just a few minutes, and in a study the participants also had significant positive changes in their mood. ^[7] There is also evidence that regular cold showers can help boost our immunity, specifically through increasing immunoglobulin, interleukin levels, and T-lymphocytes. ^[1] Another key benefit of  cold water immersion is increased  insulin sensitivity due to the changes in fat cells. ^[1] There are also cardio-protective effects in cold-adapted individuals; research participants were found to have reduced levels of homocysteine and oxidative-stress markers in their blood samples. ^[1] So as we can see, this is a practice that can help improve general well-being, but are there any downsides? The answer is yes. Staying in the icy water for too long may lead to hypothermia, but how long is too long? ^[2] That may vary based on a person’s weight, body fat percentage, and other factors. Generally in water at 0°C, it takes less than 30 minutes for the body’s core temperature to decrease to the point of entering into a hypothermic state. ^[2] There are also cardiovascular risks, especially in individuals with pre-existing heart conditions, caused by the shock of icy water leading to arrhythmias and even cardiac arrest. ^[2] And studies show cold water swimming can increase blood pressure and cardiac troponin even in healthy individuals, which can lead to cardiac arrhythmias. ^[2]  Finally, there is also the risk of drowning when plunging into cold water, caused by the initial shock and subsequent hyperventilation  ^[2]

Effects on Women

Studies show that there are some differences between the genders when it comes to bodily responses to the cold water, men tend to have more of a metabolic response while women tend to have more of an insulative response. ^[1] Meaning men’s bodies increase heat production via shivering while women’s bodies prioritize the basal temperature and reduce the skin temperature. ^[3] This is because women tend to have more body fat, and men tend to have more skeletal muscle. ^[3] Men also have more neuroendocrine and immune responses compared to women. ^[1]  Cold water immersion is used to help muscle recovery after exercise, however a recent study determined that it did not have a similar  effect for women. ^[6] In another small study, it was shown that women tend to have more cardiovascular strain compared to men when doing cold water immersion. ^[4] It’s also interesting to note that general exposure to cold is a factor (among many) that can increase dysmenorrhea. ^[5] In general there are fewer gender-specific studies on the effects of cold water-immersion, so more research is needed to get a clearer picture. 

Conclusion

Cold water immersion is a practice that has the potential to improve our health when done safely, it is best to start small at first and slowly let the body get adapted to the cold water. After all, research indicates that cold adapted individuals tend to experience more benefits compared to others. ^[1] It may be helpful for women to avoid the practice during and a few days before menstruation. People with cardiac conditions should use caution when attempting cold plunges, and should talk to a medical professional before starting. 

References:

[1] Esperland, D., de Weerd, L., & Mercer, J. B. (2022, September 22). Health effects of voluntary exposure to cold water – a continuing subject of debate. International journal of circumpolar health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9518606/#s0003 

[2] Knechtle, B., Waśkiewicz, Z., Sousa, C. V., Hill, L., & Nikolaidis, P. T. (2020, December 2). Cold water swimming-benefits and risks: A narrative review. International journal of environmental research and public health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7730683/#sec14-ijerph-17-08984 

[3] Solianik, R., Skurvydas, A., Vitkauskiene, A., & Brazaitis, M. (2014, May 6). Gender-specific cold responses induce a similar body-cooling rate but different neuroendocrine and immune responses. Cryobiology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001122401400087X?via%3Dihub 

[4] Tsoutsoubi, L., Loannou, L., Mantzios, K., Ziaka, S., Flouris, A., & Nybo, L. (2022, July 5). Cardiovascular stress and characteristics of cold-induced vasodilation in women and men during cold-water immersion: A Randomized Control Study. Biology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36101432/ 

[5] Wang, L., Yan, Y., Qiu, H., Xu, D., Zhu, J., Liu, J., & Lu, H. (2022, May 3). Prevalence and risk factors of primary dysmenorrhea in students: A meta-analysis. Value in health : the journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35523614/ 

[6] Wellauer, V., Clijsen, R., Bianchi, G., Riggi, E., & Hohenauer, E. (2025, May 7). No acceleration of recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage after cold or hot water immersion in women: A randomised controlled trial. PLOS ONE. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0322416#:~:text=The%20findings%20of%20this%20study,72%20h%20follow%2Dup%20period. 
[7] Yankouskaya, A., Williamson, R., Stacey, C., Totman, J. J., & Massey, H. (2023, January 29). Short-term head-out whole-body cold-water immersion facilitates positive affect and increases interaction between large-scale brain networks. Biology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9953392/#sec4-biology-12-00211

Reactivated X Chromosome Boosts Brain Health in Older Females: A New Frontier to Preserve Cognition

Carina Garcia
August 2025

It is well-established that women have longer life expectancies and a slower rate of cognitive aging.^[1,2] Recent research from UCSF potentially explains differences in aging between sexes. Females possess two X chromosomes – an active X and inactive X, otherwise known as the Barr body. The X chromosome comprises 5% of the genome, however, there are limited studies focusing exclusively on the role of X chromosomes in the brain.^[3,4,5] UCSF researchers found that in older female mice, gene expression of  the “inactive” X promoted brain connectivity and cognition. “Cognition is one of our biggest biomedical problems, but things are changeable in the aging brain, and the X chromosome clearly can teach us what’s possible,” said neurology professor Dena Dubal, MD, PhD, and David A. Coulter, Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease at UCSF.^[5] Therefore, research of the sex differences in aging can not only aid our understanding of health and illness in women, but also highlight potential therapeutic interventions to benefit human health.^[3] 

Reactivated X Genes Linked to Brain Function

In March 2025, UCSF researchers engineered two strains of laboratory mice, with the X chromosome from one strain silenced. This hybrid mice sample allowed researchers to gather data of genetic expression from each X chromosome. Researchers concentrated their collection in the hippocampus, a critical site for learning and memory known to decline with age. Remarkably, in older-aged mice (equivalent to a 65-year-old human), the X chromosome expressed about 20 genes in different cells of the hippocampus – one including Plp1, a component of myelin that is integral to neural signaling.^[3,5] 

“We immediately thought this might explain how women’s brains remain resilient in typical aging, because men wouldn’t have this extra X,” said Margaret Gadek, a graduate student in UCSF’s combined MD and PhD Medical Scientist Training Program.^[5]

Another study analyzing the association of X chromosomes with cognitive changes among a cohort of 508 older individuals (mean age of 88.4) demonstrated that the higher expression of specific X-linked genes were significantly related to slower cognitive decline only in women. Therefore, the gene activity of the X chromosome may contribute to cognitive resilience in aging women.^[2]

The Promise of X-Linked Interventions in Aging Brains

“Are there interventions that can amplify genes like Plp1 from the X chromosome to slow the decline – for both women and men – as we age?” said Dubal.^[5] 

Plp1 is a myelin component that supports neural insulation and signal transmission.^[5] UCSF researchers found elevation of Plp1 in the hippocampus of aging female mice, ultimately improving cognition.^[3] To investigate the relation between Plp1 and cognitive resilience, researchers expressed Plp1 in the hippocampus of aging females and male mice. This elevation of Plp1 improved cognitive resilience and performance on learning and memory tests. Given these compelling findings, this is promising for extending the understanding of cognition in older women, the association with the gene expression of the second X, and overall human health.^[3,5]  

References

[1] Dattani, S., & Rodés-Guirao, L. (2023, November 27). Why do women live longer than men?OurWorldinData.org. https://ourworldindata.org/why-do-women-live-longer-than-men

[2] Davis, E. J., Solsberg, C. W., White, C. C., Miñones-Moyano, E., Sirota, M., Chibnik, L., Bennett, D. A., De Jager, P. L., Yokoyama, J. S., & Dubal, D. B. (2021). Sex-specific association of the X chromosome with cognitive change and tau pathology in aging and Alzheimer disease. JAMA Neurology, 78(10), 1249. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2021.2806 

[3] Gadek, M., Shaw, C. K., Abdulai-Saiku, S., Saloner, R., Marino, F., Wang, D., Bonham, L. W., Yokoyama, J. S., Panning, B., Benayoun, B. A., Casaletto, K. B., Ramani, V., & Dubal, D. B. (2025). Aging activates escape of the silent X chromosome in the female mouse hippocampus. Science Advances, 11(10). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ads8169 

[4] The eXceptional nature of the X chromosome. (2018). Human Molecular Genetics, 27(2), 242-249. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddy148

[5] UC San Francisco. (2025, March). The ‘Silent’ X chromosome gives the aging female brain a boost. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2025/03/429571/silent-x-chromosome-gives-aging-female-brain-boost