Wellbeing Secrets: Effects Of Stress On The Heart
When your body perceives you are under threat, it turns into fight-or-flight mode and increases stress. Acute stress can help you respond to an emergency in the short term, but long-term stress can seriously harm your heart. Ian Weisberg, a renowned cardiologist, highlights the need to comprehend the complex connection between stress and heart health. The following are some ways that stress, sometimes known as the “silent killer,” can seriously harm our cardiovascular system.
Stress and Heart Attacks
Regularly experiencing stress may increase your chance of suffering a heart attack. A person’s amygdala, a brain region responsible for managing anxiety, signals the bone marrow to make more white blood cells during stressful times. This may result in arterial inflammation, raising the possibility of a heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, stress leads to a higher risk of diseases like hypertension, heart attacks, and stroke. Dr. Ian Weisberg
Stress and Heart Disease
Another heart issue stress can cause is poor blood supply to the heart muscles. With this disorder, sufficient blood or oxygen doesn’t reach the heart. Furthermore, prolonged stress may affect the blood clotting process. It raises the blood’s stickiness and stroke risk.
Stress and Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations, or heart arrhythmia, are brief episodes in which the heart feels hammering, beating erratically, or fluttering. They are not a significant issue most of the time. Numerous emotional and psychological conditions, including stress, anxiety, trepidation, excitement, and panic attacks, can cause heart palpitations.
Stress and High Blood Pressure
Stress triggers the body to release a barrage of hormones that constrict blood vessels and accelerate the heartbeat, which can momentarily elevate blood pressure. According to the National Institute of Health, tension and stress may increase blood pressure when it occurs frequently. On the other hand, heart disease risk factors like anxiety and depression, as well as stress-related behaviors like smoking, binge drinking, and consuming junk food, elevate blood pressure.
How to Lower Your Stress Level
You need to stay active. Every time we work out, our bodies release endorphins, which improve our happiness. Frequent exercise helps strengthen your heart, lower your blood pressure, in addition to helping you cope with stress. Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous to be effective – walking, playing sports, or swimming can all be relaxing ways to decompress.
Don’t forget to make time to sleep. According to the American Psychological Association, elevated stress levels can cause problems falling asleep. Seven to nine hours of sound sleep might help you wake up with a more resilient attitude and be more prepared to handle stress when it arises.
Additionally, as Dr. Ian Weisberg emphasizes, learn to switch off. If your life is too hectic, it may be time to take a little break. This entails removing oneself from emails, TV shows, and social media feeds that have the potential to take over our day. You should also always appreciate the heart-healthy benefits of laughter. Laughter decreases levels of stress hormones and lessens artery inflammation.
Lastly, consult a specialist. Speaking things out can be beneficial, particularly when professional advice from licensed practitioners is involved. While the problem may not completely disappear, talking with a counselor or therapist dramatically reduces stress levels.
