Managing Stress for a Healthy Heart
All people occasionally feel stress, but we feel it to different degrees and react to it in different ways. Events that might cause stress-related problems for one person may not bother another.
“Stress” describes a condition caused by the body’s reaction to physical, chemical, emotional or environmental events. This reaction causes your body to release adrenaline, a hormone that briefly increases your blood pressure and speeds up your breathing and heart rate.
If the events causing this reaction remain constant, or continue to happen over a long period of time, your physical and mental health can suffer. Continued stress weakens your immune system and increases your risk for certain health conditions, including:
- Digestive problems and weight gain
- Anxiety and depression
- Headaches
- Sleep problems
- Memory and concentration issues
- High blood pressure, heart disease and stroke
To identify sources of stress in your life, try keeping a journal or writing your feelings down on a calendar as events occur. Once you identify your stressors, consider whether they are due to factors out of your control. Acknowledging that something is not within your control can sometimes provide perspective and put your mind at ease.
While research on how stress contributes to cardiovascular disease risk is ongoing, it is known that managing stress can help maintain positive mental health, which is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
There are healthy ways to manage stress that can also be fun. Try some of these stress management strategies:
- Move more - doing a type of exercise you enjoy is a great antidote to stress.
- Deep breathing - breathing techniques can help relax your mind and body.
- Meditation or prayer - relief may be found in mindfulness.
- Mind/body practices - consider a tai chi or yoga class.
- Sleep on it - try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
- Get outside - go for a walk or bike ride.
- Consider getting a furry friend - pets can have a positive impact on your health.
- Get professional help if you need it - talk with your health care provider.