How Does Stress Affect Heart Health?
Stress can exacerbate digestive problems, trigger insomnia, and cause muscle tension that leads to body aches. But can it cause a heart attack? Research shows that stress is a risk factor for heart disease; however, this may be reduced by changing your coping mechanisms.
What Causes Stress?
Stress can be caused by an emotional or physical change or a change in the environment which needs you to respond and adjust. The elements that can cause stress can be significant lifestyle changes, minor hassles, or a combination of both. The key to managing stress lies in your ability to identify the stressors in your life and releasing the tension.
Some of the most common stressors include unemployment, work overload, pregnancy, relationship problems, death of a loved one or financial concerns.
Stress And Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Stress can affect the heart in many ways. It may cause changes in behaviors that increase the risk to the heart, such as overeating that increases cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, physical inactivity, and smoking.
People often turn to comfort foods such as fast foods and desserts when they are under pressure or anxious. These high-cholesterol foods may lead to diabetes and high blood pressure, which can cause artery damage, which ultimately results in stroke and heart attack. Moreover, tobacco and alcohol use can damage the lining of heart arteries and increase blood pressure.
How Stress Affects Your Body
Stress can have real physiologic effects on the body as well as the heart, especially in the case of sudden and severe stress. In some cases, people who received traumatic news, such as those hearing of the death of a child suffered an immediate heart attack. This condition is also referred to as ‘broken heart syndrome’ and is more common in women. It is a perfect example of how severe, acute form of stress can cause cardiovascular damage.
People suffering from depression have a hard time dealing with stress. Depression is linked to heart disease. It causes high levels of adrenaline and cortisol, which can have harmful effects on the heart.
Research has also proven that people who experience heightened activity in the amygdala (the part of the brain linked to stress) have a greater risk of developing heart disease. The function of the amygdala is to tell the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells to fight infection and to repair the damage. Chronic stress can also lead to increased production of white blood cells, which causes plaque formation in the arteries, which can be very harmful to heart health.
Ways To Manage Stress And Improve Heart Health
Some people react strongly to stressful situations, while some are unconcerned and relaxed. However, there are several ways with the help of which individuals can decrease the effect of stress on their body. This can be done by identifying the components that cause stress and controlling your manual and physical reaction to stressful situations. Following are some ways to help manage stress and improve your heart health:
Exercise Regularly
Exercise is a great way to counteract the harmful effects of stress. Do a robust heart exercise for at least half an hour or forty minutes five times a week. Regular exercise helps to improve heart health by controlling weight, lowering blood pressure, and improving cholesterol. Moreover, people who exercise regularly show a reduced physical response to stress. Their heart rate and blood pressure do not go high in stressful conditions as people who do not exercise. Another benefit of physical exercise is that it combats depression, which is another common cause of heart problems.
Stay Positive
According to research, it is vital for heart health to maintain an upbeat attitude. Having a negative approach can adversely affect your heart health. Laughter has been known to reduce inflammation in the arteries, lower levels of stress hormones, and increase good HDL cholesterol. Just have a good laugh and lower your stress level!
Meditate
The practice of deep breathing and inward-focused thought has proven to improve heart health by reducing risk factors such as high blood pressure. Just take a few minutes, sit quietly, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Similarly, yoga and prayer can also help relax the body and mind, thus promoting heart health.
Find Activities That Provide Stress Relief
Each individual finds different things that calm him and reduce stress. Reading a book, watching a light-hearted show, listening to music, or taking a bubble bath helps to relax and reduce stress. Identify which technique works best for you. Also, take some time out during the day to unplug from the world. Avoid looking at television news or checking your phone for emails and just cut yourself from the world for at least 10 or 15 minutes to gain peace.
Depression Can Greatly Affect Your Heart Health
Anxiety and depression can adversely affect heart health. Research shows that long-term emotional stress can result in sudden cardiac arrest. By taking up yoga or other similar classes, you can help decrease the level of anxiety. Increased usage of tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol can increase stress and blood pressure. Quitting or cutting back on such substances can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Reduce Work Stress
Studies have shown that having a demanding job where there is little room for growth or few or no opportunities to make decisions can increase the risk of heart disease. If you can’t switch positions within your organization, try to improve the environment of your existing job. Take some time away from work and do something relaxing, such as walking or reading. You can also talk to a counselor about strategies that can help relieve stress.
Have A Strong Support System
Having someone that you trust and can easily talk to, belonging to a support group or taking solace in religion can also help reduce your stress, thus reducing your risk of heart disease. If you suffer from heart disease, then such a support system can help reduce the risk of a heart attack. Having someone to rely on provides comfort and takes a heavy burden off you.
Moreover, good support also decreases the chance of engaging in unhealthy behaviors such as drinking too much alcohol, eating a high-fat diet or smoking, thus allowing you to take better care of yourself.
