The Hidden Toll of Holiday Stress on Women’s Health

As many women can empathize with, the winter season often forces us to do it all. We’re 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, the holiday stress can take a serious toll on women’s health.

Oshi Health, 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—for those who are parents—manage and tend to their kids’ needs. They’re what the survey calls “Holiday CEOs.” Though anyone can be a Holiday CEO, women are more likely to shoulder the season’s tasks.

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

What Triggers GI Distress During the Holidays?

One thing our bodies love and need to thrive is communication. “We’ve long known that the gut and brain are in constant conversation. When stress rises, the gut feels it,” said Dr. Treta Purohit, a gastroenterologist and the Executive Medical Director at Oshi Health, in the survey’s official report.

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.

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 (32 percent).

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. There’s a feedback loop at play, though. Because an out-of-whack gut microbiome signals to the brain that there’s a problem, resulting in even more stress.

While Both Men and Women Deal with Holiday Stress, Women Still Suffer the Most

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 report 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.

“The outside stress load for women during this period is much higher,” 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. “It starts at Halloween and doesn’t go away until after the New Year.”

Emotional distress stemming from a disordered relationship with food—compared to men, women are twice as likely to develop an eating disorder in their lifetime—also spikes this time of year, says Bowman.

The survey notes that conversations about women’s health usually surround fertility issues and menopause—gut health gets overlooked, even though common digestive function issues have a direct impact on women’s quality of life and mental health.

Too much stress can lead to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that disproportionately affects women when compared to men, according to research. 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.

Expert-Approved Tips on How to Manage Gut Health Issues During the Holidays

Bowman suggests the following tips to alleviate GI symptoms:

• Don’t starve yourself ahead of the big holiday meals: Many of us like to save our appetites before the family dinner. Bowman advises clients to refrain from doing so, as it interferes with peristalsis, the involuntary muscle movement that propels food through your GI tract. She recommends eating a small meal consisting of protein, carbs, and fiber. “Seed crackers with nut butter or olives and cheese would be great,” she says. A small meal beforehand will help keep your blood sugar in check.
• Go for a postprandial walk, aka a fart walk, after a large meal: Bowman says that light movement, even just getting up and helping to wash the dishes, can relieve bloating and gas.
• Hydrate consistently—even when you’re traveling: Bowman says people tend to avoid drinking regularly because they don’t want to have to get up and use the bathroom during a flight. But not getting enough water can lead to constipation, so aim to keep up your usual water intake. Drinking a warm beverage within three hours of waking up can also promote digestive flow, she says.
• Massage your stomach: Kneading your stomach can help keep things moving, says Bowman. Rub your abdomen from the lower right, up toward your ribcage, then to the left of your stomach, and then down; this movement follows the direction of the large intestine and helps push waste along.
• Take some magnesium citrate: This medication, which you can get from a drugstore, has a laxative effect. Magnesium also is an anxiolytic, meaning it can help relieve anxiety, too, she says. 

While it’s totally fine to indulge over the holidays, Bowman suggests noting any unusual symptoms. If you see blood in your stool, experience unexplained weight loss, pain that wakes you out of your sleep, or gas that lasts more than a few days, you’ll want to see a doctor.

Want more Outside health stories? Sign up for the Bodywork newsletter. Ready to push yourself? Enter MapMyRun’s You vs. the Year 2025 running challenge.