The Drivers of Female Performance

Look no further than Mother Nature!

What Nature Intended

When we think about the physiologic processes that drive performance in females, we need to look no further than Mother Nature.

The first post of this publication “What is Women’s Performance Endocrinology” discusses the female “superpower” of physical adaptation. Pregnancy is the best example of this because the changes to the cardiorespiratory, skeletal, and immune systems in response to pregnancy are profound.

Further demonstrating the power of Nature’s “blueprint” for female physical adaptation is the fact that successful pregnancies are experienced by individuals across the entire spectrum of health. From poor to excellent health, uneventful, successful pregnancies are achieved the vast majority of the time. If you are Mother Nature, this foundational “blueprint” of physical adaptation makes sense because the ability to carry pregnancies successfully, predicates the continuation of the Human race.

Intimately tied to this powerful blueprint of procreation is the ability to protect it. Enter the stress response. Mother Nature was clever in her design because the stress response is directly linked to the menstrual cycle and thus acts as the “control panel” for conception and other physiological processes important for survival.

Whether we choose to bear children or not, this profound capacity for adaption and survival is engrained within us by design. If we harness these advantages in our lives as athletes, fire fighters, police, CEOs, and executives, among many other high-performing occupations, we can be unstoppable in our chosen professions and in our everyday lives.

Let’s begin with gaining an understanding of how this eloquent system works.

What is the “Stress Response”

The hormonal pathways involved in the stress response are complex. Here we will focus on the highlights that will give us a basic understanding of this response and how it impacts female physiology.

This first video, “Stress Response - Part 1” is a 7-minute excerpt from my course “Menopause Health and Fitness Specialist” where the stress response (for all ages) is introduced.

Pertinent points from this video are below:

• The “Fight or flight” response represents the activation of critical hormonal pathways in response to a physical or psychological threat.

• Three pathways interact during the “Fight or flight” response:

  • HPA axis - hypothalamus (an area of the brain responsible for many important regulatory processes), and hormones from the pituitary and adrenal glands

  • HPG axis - hypothalamus / pituitary gland and female reproductive hormones (menstrual cycle pathway)

  • Immune system

• During the “Fight or flight” response, the HPA axis and immune systems are activated. Activation of the HPA axis SUPPRESSES the HPG (menstrual cycle) axis.

HPA activation and HPG suppression is the reason why menstrual cycles can become irregular during times of stress, or disappear completely with chronic or ongoing over-training and under-fueling.

Returning the Activated Stress Response to Baseline

Once the stress response has effectively resolved the “threat” a branch of the nervous system called the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is in charge of bringing the system back to equilibrium. This 2:50 video, PNS Activation, reviews the basics of this very important regulator of the stress response and summarizes the entire process of SNS activation, PNS activation, and recovery.

Pertinent points from the video are below:

1 - The PNS is also known as the “rest and digest” response and is modulated by the vagus nerve.

2- The purpose of the PNS is to deactivate the “fight or flight” response and return the stress response system to equilibrium or baseline “balance”.

3 - Heart rate variability (HRV) is a reflection of the level of recovery of the stress response system and the ability of the system to respond to the next “threat”. When HRV is low, the stress response system has not fully recovered and, therefore, is less able to respond effectively to the next encounter (threat, physical task, athletic event, etc.).

NOTE: HRV is best interpreted relative to the individual’s normal range - not compared to a population average. Some of the most highly conditioned athletes have HRV levels lower than the population average. The most useful interpretation of your HRV is comparing readings along your personal HRV range of variation.

Special Attention to Recovery

Returning the activated stress response to baseline is important for optimal performance. Once the stress or threat is effectively dealt with, the HPA returns to baseline, and reproductive and digestive functions resume.

Women in high-performing professions spend a lot of time in HPA activation due to the nature of their occupation and the required training for it. For this reason, greater attention needs to be paid to mental and physical recovery. This becomes even more important as women enter the mid-life transition, most typically in their 40s due to the “wear and tear” effects of age as well as hormonal and physiological changes. For more information on this hot topic, check out this post in Athletic Aging: Stop Demonizing Cortisol!

This 3rd video “Stress Response Part 2” is a 2:46 excerpt from my course that discusses the importance of returning the activated stress response to baseline and some recovery strategies for high-performing women of all ages.

Pertinent points are below:

• Stress-management strategies:

  • Take a “stress inventory”

  • Fuel your training appropriately - Low energy availability (LEA) is a very common culprit for menstrual cycle loss or irregularity in high-performing women.

  • Sleep hygiene

  • Mobility work, tissue care, active recovery days

  • Mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork

• Activation of the stress response is essential for improving fitness and performance. Return of the response to baseline is essential for recovery and readiness for continued gains in performance with the next training day, event, or occupational task.

• The hormonal changes of mid-life create an additional barrier for returning the stress response to baseline. This does NOT mean avoiding fitness for fear of activating the stress response -it means better managing the stress response with greater attention to recovery strategies.

Putting it all Together

Optimizing physical performance starts with self-awareness. I’m a big fan of “taking inventory” of your health and wellness and using that as a starting point. Here is an example of a “Stress Inventory”:

• Am I fueling my daily training/activity appropriately? Fueling imbalance is a leading culprit triggering ongoing activation of the stress response.

• How much time do I spend on recovery activities? (ie tissue care, massage/bodywork, foam rolling, yoga/meditation)

• Am I taking enough time to warm up and cool down appropriately?

• Am I getting enough sleep? This is huge.

• What are my biggest life stressors outside of training? (Keeping a journal of the conditions under which you experience the greatest stress can be helpful!)

• What are my current “stress-reduction” strategies? Be honest!

• Consider wearable technology that helps to monitor recovery (ex - WHOOP! and Oura ring are great). For my personal journey with “wearables” check out Athletic Aging: My Journey with Wearable Technology

Once you have your arms around this for yourself, seriously consider a Coach - even if just for 4-6 weeks to put you in touch with the resources you need to get yourself on track. There are so many great resources available! Tapping into them will be the best investment any high-performing woman can make - and you deserve it!