Stress & Heart Disease – How Does Stress Affect Your Heart?
Friday, September 25th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
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.
In this article, I will provide you with information about stress, how it affects your body, and in particular, why it affects your heart.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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