Stress & Heart Disease – How Does Stress Affect Your Heart?
For several years now, there has been stories in the media that have discussed the link between stress and heart disease. The link is that your risk of heart disease increases when you are under constant and long-term stress. One way to relate to this would be to think of how burnt-out your mind can feel when you are under stress. Same thing goes for your heart.
When discussing heart disease, you have probably heard of the controllable and uncontrollable risk factors. Stress is considered to be a controllable risk factor, or something that you can change. This is unlike your family genetics for heart disease, which is something that you cannot change.
Stress is considered to be something you are in control of (even though it may not feel like it sometimes) when it comes to preventing heart disease. Some people tend to bring on more stress themselves just in their attitude and approach to life, and in how they respond to what life brings their way. I can honestly say this, because I am a Type A personality. Learning to let go of a lot of things beyond my control that were causing me stress, made a huge difference in my well-being.
Of course, how you react to the event also plays a role in how much stress your body can handle. Have you ever noticed how different people respond differently to the same situation?
So what are the things that are going on in your body that cause this to happen? Your body resorts to "fight or flight." This was apparently a bodily response used by primitive man to flee from danger. When stressed, your body releases two hormones - adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline is responsible for raising your blood pressure, the rate at which your heart beats, and increases your breathing speed. As a result, your heart is laboring more than usual. This is not good for your heart if it must do this for a long period of time. The cortisol hormone is responsible for increasing the amount of glucose in your blood. This glucose is needed to provide energy to your muscles if they need to remove you from immediate danger (fight or flee response).
Things that you may not notice, in addition to the high heart rate, is that your blood pressure will go up, and your blood sugar levels rise. These things are the result of two hormones in your body, called adrenaline and cortisol. When the stress is not turned off, they continue to be secreted. Adrenaline and cortisol are helpful for dealing with short-term stress events for supplying your body with the necessary oxygen and nutrients needed to deal with the stressful situation. However, when these hormones continue to be secreted, your body does not shut itself off. Your heart is working steadily and more forcefully than it has to, and this is what can harm it. Fatty plaques are increased in the heart's arteries, and your heart can become weaker over time. Often, people will have heart attacks during times of prolonged stress.
That is why it becomes so important to recognize that you are stressed, and to take steps to reduce the stress in your life. Figure out things that you can change in your life to get rid of the stress, and do things that take your mind off of the stress in your life.
In summary, making changes in your life will make a world of difference when it comes to your overall health and that of your heart.
Learn all about heart disease and more information on identifying heart attack by going to my Heart Vitamins site. While on my site, be sure to get your FREE report of "The Cholesterol Theory - A Tragedy to Health.