{"id":445360,"date":"2025-12-14T00:19:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T00:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/445360\/"},"modified":"2025-12-14T00:19:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T00:19:17","slug":"holiday-stress-takes-a-toll-on-womens-gut-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/445360\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Stress Takes a Toll on Women\u2019s Gut Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

A recent survey suggests a widening health gap, with women\u2014often the default planners and hosts\u2014bearing the brunt of holiday strain.<\/p>\n

\"woman<\/p>\n

(Photo: Ayana Underwood\/Canva)<\/p>\n

Published December 11, 2025 02:24PM<\/p>\n

As many women can empathize with, the winter season often forces us to do it all. We\u2019re put into the role of head chief, full-time caretaker, and Christmas tree pruner during one of the most chaotic times of the year. And according to a new survey<\/a>, the holiday stress can take a serious toll on women\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

Oshi Health<\/a>, a nationwide virtual health clinic specializing in the treatment of digestive issues, found in their survey that women are far more likely than men to suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) distress during the holiday season. The reason? Women are often the ones who curate and shop for everything on the gift lists, plan family travel, handle the logistics of hosting, cook, and\u2014for those who are parents\u2014manage and tend to their kids\u2019 needs. They\u2019re what the survey calls \u201cHoliday CEOs.\u201d Though anyone can be a Holiday CEO, women are more likely to shoulder the season\u2019s tasks.<\/p>\n

Taking on significantly more responsibility than any one person can or should manage causes stress. These external factors \u201cinfluence our nervous system load, which influences our stress response,\u201d and lead to gut problems, says Meg Bowman<\/a>, a licensed integrative clinical nutritionist with expertise in mental health. During this time of year, Bowman says, \u201cWe see more bloating, more gas, indigestion, and GERD (acid reflux).<\/p>\n

What Triggers GI Distress During the Holidays?<\/p>\n

One thing our bodies love and need to thrive is communication. \u201cWe\u2019ve long known that the gut and brain are in constant conversation. When stress rises, the gut feels it,\u201d said Dr. Treta Purohit, a gastroenterologist and the Executive Medical Director at Oshi Health, in the survey\u2019s official report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Of the 2,504 adults surveyed, 76 percent reported experiencing gut discomfort during the holidays. The top drivers of gut problems? Fifty-two percent point to schedule disruptions due to travel, and 42 percent blame financial stress.<\/p>\n

According to the survey, other reported culprits of GI distress, in order of most damaging to least, include the dietary shifts that come with, understandably, indulging in all the delicious food and alcohol this season brings (36 percent), navigating strained interpersonal family dynamics (34 percent), and a lack of sleep<\/a> (32 percent).<\/p>\n

But why does stress cause such gnarly gut problems? When anxiety spikes, the body goes into fight or flight mode. This activates hormones that signal how quickly or slowly food should move through the body. Food moving too fast causes diarrhea; too slow, constipation<\/a>. There\u2019s a feedback loop at play, though. Because an out-of-whack gut microbiome<\/a> signals to the brain that there\u2019s a problem, resulting in even more stress.<\/p>\n

While Both Men and Women Deal with Holiday Stress, Women Still Suffer the Most<\/p>\n

One in five women, or 20 percent, identify as Holiday CEOs, compared to just eight percent of men. One-third of all genders in the Holiday CEO role\u00a0report gut distress. Parenting, however, adds another layer of strain: women who are both Holiday CEOs and mothers with kids under 18 report even poorer gut health than women without kids, dads, and men without kids.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe outside stress load for women during this period is much higher,\u201d Bowman says, citing reasons like fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, spikes in cortisol levels, and the angst of navigating tough family dynamics, all of which contribute to GI discomfort. These symptoms peak during the food holidays, she says. \u201cIt starts at Halloween and doesn\u2019t go away until after the New Year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emotional distress stemming from a disordered relationship with food\u2014compared to men, women are twice as likely<\/a> to develop an eating disorder in their lifetime\u2014also spikes this time of year, says Bowman.<\/p>\n

The survey notes that conversations about women\u2019s health usually surround fertility issues and menopause\u2014gut health gets overlooked, even though common digestive function issues<\/a>\u00a0have a direct impact on women\u2019s quality of life<\/a> and mental health.<\/p>\n

Too much stress can lead to<\/a> irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that disproportionately affects women when compared to men, according to research<\/a>. The reasons why women are more prone to IBS are still up for debate, but it likely has to do with hormones and physiological differences between men and women.<\/p>\n

Expert-Approved Tips on How to Manage Gut Health Issues During the Holidays<\/p>\n

Bowman suggests the following tips to alleviate GI symptoms:<\/p>\n