Nutrition specialist and weight loss expert Libby Weaver says the feeling of constantly rushing is only getting worse for women.

“Never before in my work have I witnessed so many females in a mad rush to do everything and be all things to all people,” she said.

“Never before have I seen the extent of reproductive system problems that I now see.

“Women are wired. Many of them are tired too. Tired yet wired. And this relentless urgency, this perception that there is not enough time, combined with a to-do list that is never all crossed off is having such significant health consequences for women.”

'Rushing women syndrome'

“Someone with the syndrome feels like she is in an urgent rush to do it all. She is wound up like a top running herself ragged in a daily battle to keep up. She very rarely feels like she wins and gets on top of things. She feels like there is always so much to do,” Libby explains.

“She often answers 'so busy' or 'stressed' when you ask her how she is. It is not unusual for her to feel overwhelmed and she often has poor short-term memory.”

Why do women feel this way?

“Not so long ago, women began doing what had historically been their fathers’ jobs, while maintaining their mothers’ responsibilities,” she says.

“What has transpired for many women is a frantic double shift.

“Women do the same jobs now as men and they do them equally well, but all the time women are carrying around information that won’t seem to leave them alone. I have heard countless women say they don’t know how to say no.”

Libby believes we need to start saying no more in order to reduce the pressure we put on ourselves to make everyone happy. "I think we have lost touch with nature and ourselves in the madness of the rush," she says.

Why it is affecting your health

"Never before have we had so much stress in our lives, whether the stress is perceived or real, the body responds in the same manner," she explains.

She says it is the two branches of our nervous system that cope with this stress: the parasympathetic and the sympathetic. The sympathetic is responsible for the fight or flight response and is usually activated when there is a physical threat to your life. She says that our body reacts to having too many things to do as a threat.

"Our biochemistry is ancient and although there are no longer animals jumping out at us, we may have numerous deadlines on the same day, a number of missed phone calls and 100 emails to answer, children to pick up and grocery shopping to do, all before heading home," she says.

"Our bodies respond as though this is a physical threat to our lives, our heart rate increases, pupils dilate and adrenaline surges.

"The world we live in encourages this urgency and our bodies suffer because of it. We are constantly accessible whether this is via emails, mobile phones, or responding to the latest update on social media sites."

How to slow down

• It's all about breathing – The way you breathe actually make a difference, even if it sounds too simple to work. "Start every day with 20 long slow breaths before you get out of bed. Alternatively, breathe and move your diaphragm while you wait for the kettle to boil or while you sit at the traffic lights," she says.

• Watch what you eat – Libby suggests eating an egg-based breakfast for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, assess whether you have felt better during this time.

• Quit the coffee – Consuming too much caffeine can make you feel pressured and stressed.

  "If you feel anxious and overwhelmed you need to take a break from caffeine as it drives the very hormone (adrenaline) that is behind anxiety," she says. Libby suggests drinking green tea as an alternative and monitoring whether you start to feel calmer.

• Change your perception – Training your body is just as important as training your brain. "Changing your perceptions is critical. Pressure is a perception; it is not real, which is one of the reasons you can have two people face the same experiences and have a very different attitude, outcome and also health status. So the first thing to explore is your attitude," she says.

• Get moving – Moving your body is also essential. Libby suggests doing a breath-focused movement class two to four times a week, such as tai chi or restorative yoga, as this will also assist with improving your mind-set.

Dr Libby was in Australia speaking at the USANA Health Sciences Asia Pacific Convention.