Far from being a dissatisfying time of their life, midlife is now known to bring women a higher quality of life. The older they get, the more easy-going they become.
A University of Michigan study by Elizabeth Hedgeman, a doctoral graduate of the U-M School of Public Health, and colleagues found that perceived stress – a measure of confidence, control and ability to cope with life’s stressors – decreased for most middle-aged women. The study also found that menopausal status wasn’t a factor, which challenges the notion that menopause is associated with higher stress and depression.
Researchers collected data from more than 3,000 women who were recruited between the ages of 42-53 over a 15-year span and found that stress declined with age across nearly all sociodemographic categories. Even women with less education and increased financial hardship who had consistently reported higher levels of stress, did not remain so different from their counterparts with better education and lifestyle.
And then there was the important factor of menopause. The researchers were surprised at the results here as well. Says Hedgeman, “The perception of stress decreased even through the menopausal transition, which suggests that menopause isn’t a great bugaboo, perhaps in relation to the other events or experiences that we’re having in the midlife.”
The study did not specifically examine the reasons for this decrease in perceived stress, but researchers think that there could be both circumstantial and neurological causes – children have moved out, professional goals are being met, or women might have hit a sweet spot before the next life challenges arise, such as chronic health conditions or ageing parents.
Existing research also suggests that ageing helps us regulate our emotions. “Our perception of stress decreases as we age through the midlife,” concludes Hedgeman. “Perhaps life itself is becoming less stressful, or maybe we’re finally feeling at the top of our game, or maybe things just don’t bother us the way they did whether due to emotional experience or neurochemical changes… It’s all worth exploring.”
Comments are closed.