▁activ ated . ▁There ▁is ▁increased ▁activity ▁in ▁the ▁sympath etic ▁nerv ous ▁system . ▁Cort is ol ▁levels ▁are ▁elev ated . ▁Energy - prov iding ▁comp ounds ▁of ▁gl uc ose ▁and ▁fat ty ▁ac ids ▁are ▁released ▁into ▁the ▁blood stream . ▁The ▁action ▁imm une ▁and ▁dig est ive ▁systems ▁are ▁tempor arily ▁reduced . ▁ ▁Studies ▁have ▁shown ▁an ▁association ▁between ▁occup ational ▁stress ▁and ▁" he alth ▁risk ▁behav iors ." ▁Occ up ational ▁stress ▁has ▁shown ▁to ▁be ▁linked ▁with ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁alco hol ▁consumption ▁among ▁men ▁and ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁body ▁weight . ▁ ▁G ender ▁ ▁Men ▁and ▁women ▁are ▁exposed ▁to ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁stress ors . ▁Although ▁men ▁and ▁women ▁might ▁not ▁differ ▁in ▁overall ▁stra ins , ▁women ▁are ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁experience ▁psych ological ▁dist ress , ▁whereas ▁men ▁experience ▁more ▁physical ▁stra in . ▁Des mar ais ▁and ▁Al ks nis ▁suggest ▁two ▁explan ations ▁for ▁the ▁greater ▁psych ological ▁dist ress ▁of ▁women . ▁First , ▁the ▁g enders ▁may ▁differ ▁in ▁their ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁negative ▁feelings , ▁leading ▁women ▁to ▁be ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁express ▁and ▁report ▁stra ins , ▁whereas ▁men ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁den y ▁and ▁in hib it ▁such ▁feelings . ▁Second , ▁the ▁dem ands ▁to ▁balance ▁work ▁and ▁family ▁result ▁in ▁more ▁overall ▁stress ▁for ▁women ▁that ▁leads ▁to ▁increased ▁stra in . ▁Women ▁are ▁also ▁more ▁vulner able ▁to ▁sexual ▁har ass ment ▁and ▁assault ▁than ▁men