Stress & Heart Disease – What is the Link Between the Two?
You have probably heard that stress is not good for your heart, but do you understand the reasons why this is true? In what follows, I will give you information that explains what stress is, how it affects your body, and what you can do about it.
Stress is defined as a loss of equilibrium from the norm. Some degree of stress is normal and needed to function in everyday life in order to get things accomplished. Every person is different in the amount of stress that they can handle. However, it is agreed that when stress becomes prolonged whereby the body can no longer handle its effects, that things can go wrong in it.
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.
You may notice that you are more anxious, sweaty, fearful, your heart is racing, or you feel dizzy. These are some of the psychological and physical effects of stress.
Stress is known for decreasing your body's immune system and ability to fight infection, so you may notice that you experience more colds than is normal. It can leave you feeling very tired and exhausted, both mentally and physically. These are some things that you may notice, but what you may not notice is that your heart is having to work harder during times of stress. Your blood pressure goes up, as does your blood sugar, and your heart rate. These occur as the result of two hormones in your body.
When these two hormones take over due to stress that is always present, your heart has to work non-stop, and your blood pressure and glucose can rise to catastrophic levels. In other words, the fight or flight response never turns itself off. This is where the link between stress and heart disease comes in. If your heart is constantly working harder than it needs to, it can wear itself out. It can weaken, and stress is known to increase fatty deposits in arterial walls. Heart attack can be one of the results.
It is very important to get stress in your life under control. The first step is recognizing that you are under stress. Next, you want to be able to start reducing or eliminating as much stress as possible. This may mean changing jobs if it is the job that is your source of stress, or learning how to be able to say "no" rather than take on every task that comes your way. As well, exercise and yoga or immersing yourself in a loved hobby can do wonders in reducing the stress you are under.
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.