How do I say this without sounding sexist? Women are different from men in many ways, some of which are obvious and some aren’t. The obvious differences are in personal appearances, but did you know that some organs, including the brain, function differently in women than in men? This is largely due to the differences in hormones that course through all of our veins.

For reasons not yet fully explained, women tend to be more emotional than men. For years were told that’s because women use more of the right side of the brain than the left, like men do, but if that were true, more women would be left handed, so that doesn’t necessarily follow.

In many instances, the more emotional side of women help them see things differently than men, which is often a good thing. Men tend to look at life in a logical and calculating way, while women see the effects of the men’s way and how it affects others and therefore helps temper them. The real reason is that God made man and then He made a woman to compliment man and for the two of them to be one, not just physically, but emotionally and relationally as well.

A difference between men and women has shown up in a recent study of work related injuries, and frankly, I was quite surprised at some of what this study revealed.

Researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health’s Center for Health, Work & Environment on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus studied the workers’ compensation claims filed by 314 businesses, which encompassed some 17,000 employees. They looked to see what kind of role depression, anxiety and poor sleep (fatigue), played in work related injuries. They looked at all levels of employees from management down to laborers.

For women, they reported:

“Women were more likely to report experiencing mental and behavioral health issues and these conditions increased their risk of getting hurt on the job. Almost 60% of women with a work injury reported experiencing a behavioral health condition before they were injured, compared to 33% of men.”

What they found men is what surprised me:

“The researchers found that men were more likely to sustain a work-related injury but behavioral health factors, like poor sleep and anxiety, did not directly affect their risk of injury.”

There was one common factor for both men and women and that had to do with whether or not they had a prior injury. Those who had been injured in the past tended to be more likely to be injured again in the future.

The researchers didn’t have an answer as to what caused the difference in risk factors between men and women in the areas of depression, anxiety or fatigue and suggested more research is needed in the future. However, the lead researcher, Dr. Natalie Schwatka offered a possibility saying:

“There a number of social and cultural factors that may explain why women reported having more behavioral health concerns than men did. Men generally admit to fewer health concerns, and women may face different stresses at work and at home. It’s something that is worth exploring in future research.”

Men, especially you husbands, take this into consideration and do what you can to help reduce the stress, emotional anxiety of your wife or female co-workers and help them get enough sleep. It will not only make them happier to live and work with, but will help them stay safer and live longer