If you have been feeling stressed out a lot of the time, you’re not alone. In a 2020 poll, 84% of Americans reported prolonged feelings of stress. Your heart feels your stress too, and prolonged stress can negatively affect your heart health.
When you get your stress under control, you can help protect yourself against worsening heart disease and improve your overall health. With some practice, you can work stress-relieving activities into your everyday life.
The first step toward managing stress is knowing where that stress is coming from.
Identifying the Source of Stress
What’s considered stressful for one person may not be for another. Each of us has a different physiological reaction when we’re exposed to a potentially stressful event. Generally, the greater your reaction to these stressful events, the more likely you will be to experience cardiac events.
Here are sources of stress faced by millions of Americans:
- Health problems, including physical or emotional conditions
- Money-related issues
- Pandemic stressors
- Discrimination
- Relationships
- Occupation or work-related stress
How Stress Affects the Heart
The stress you experience in life is directly related to the condition of your heart. Researchers found chronic stress increased activity in the amygdala, the section of the brain responsible for processing emotions. Greater activity in the amygdala is linked to heart disease and cardiovascular events.
Some cardiovascular conditions caused by stress include:
- Arterial inflammation, which occurs due to increased activity in the amygdala. Inflamed arteries contribute to a variety of cardiovascular conditions, especially heart disease.
- Angina, also called myocardial ischemia, describes when the ventricles of the heart are not functioning properly. This malfunction prevents proper blood flow and oxygen from dispersing throughout the body.
- Coronary heart disease is common in patients who aren’t managing stress or are socially isolated, according to recent data.
- Heart attacks can occur in patients experiencing stress-related cardiac problems including high blood pressure, heart disease or arterial inflammation.
- High blood pressure is one of the main cardiac conditions connected to long-term stress. Increased heart rate is a contributing factor.
- Irregular heart rate can be a symptom of stress-related mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Lifestyle Changes for Managing Stress
You can better manage your heart disease by making a few changes to your lifestyle habits. The following recommendations can help treat heart disease and, at the same time, make stress easier to manage:
- Eat a healthy diet. Fresh produce, lean protein and whole grains are good for heart health and weight management. Healthy eating also supports a strong immune system, which helps prevents other forms of illness.
- Exercise. Physical activity boosts stress-relieving hormones, helps manage weight and improves overall health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults exercise 150 minutes a week, which can be done in 30 minutes a day for five days a week. Try walks around the neighborhood, bike riding, swimming or taking an exercise class.
- Go to the doctor. Regular checkups with a primary care provider or cardiologist help keep health conditions from building up and contributing to stress.
- Quit smoking. It might be tempting to smoke cigarettes to manage your stress, but smoking increases anxiety by activating the part of the brain where anxiety starts. Smoking and tobacco products are leading contributors to nearly all health conditions, especially heart disease. Quit smoking to improve your physical and mental health.
- Get enough sleep. Stress can keep you from getting a full night’s sleep. When you don’t sleep for the recommended seven to nine hours a night, you are at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions. For a better night’s sleep, disconnect electronics in the bedroom, set a comfortable temperature and avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed.
- Weight management. Preventing obesity is critical to long-term cardiac health. Being overweight contributes to many health problems, and these conditions can increase your overall stress.
Mental Health Support for Managing Stress
Lifestyle changes are a great start but managing stress also requires emotional support. These mental health resources help reduce stress to help treat heart disease:
- Breathe better. Deep breathing is one of the relaxation techniques that reduce stress and manage anxiety in the moment. Make yourself comfortable and breathe in and out for a count of five, repeat up to five times.
- Find support. Friends and family are important sources of support for managing stress and dealing with mental health issues. Finding regular support can help reduce loneliness and build coping strategies.
- Make time for fun. Somewhere in your work and family schedules, find time to practice self-care. This is your time to relax and do something you enjoy, such as reading a book, spending time with a pet or learning a new skill.
- Mental health counseling. Professional talk therapy or a support group can help you deal with stressful issues that may be too big for you to handle on your own.
- Mindfulness matters. Mindfulness uses meditation and breathing exercises to keep you focused on the present. Combine breathing exercises and positive self-talk to reduce reactivity and anxiety. Practiced regularly, mindfulness helps keep you in tune with your body.
- Stop negative thought patterns. Being kind to yourself is important not only to feel better but to become more aware of your emotional and physical needs. When negative thoughts pop up, acknowledge and release them. Replace negative thoughts with compassionate self-talk whenever possible.
More to Read
- Yoga and Meditation for Heart Health
- Brain Health: 6 Ways to Slow Cognitive Decline
- The Connection Between Diabetes and Mental Health
- Parenting and Mental Health: Building Your Toolkit
Medically reviewed by Abid Fakhri, MD
