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Heart Health and Stress
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Everyone knows that stress isn't good for you, at the very least from an emotional and psychological standpoint. But many people, including some doctors, think it also is detrimental to your cardiovascular heart health, even if the evidence for this hasn't been definitively established as yet.
Common signs that you're suffering from an unhealthy amount of stress include: muscle tension, insomnia, tiredness, being impulsive, abusing drugs or alcohol, a diminished sense of humor, difficulty concentrating, tendency to worry, anxiety, depression, headaches and irritability.
So how do you counter stress and improve your heart health in a stress-filled world? Here are a few helpful tips.
1. Physical stress, meaning exercise, helps subdue emotional/psychological stress. Aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, running, swimming, bicycling, etc., is best. (Competitive exercise, such as playing tennis or golf, might just set you on edge.) Aerobic exercise is of course good for heart heart anyway, but it also leads to relaxation and releases endorphins, which carry with them a sense of well-being.
2. Be realistic about what is and isn't controllable. A surprising amount of stress comes from simply worrying about things that, if you stop and think about it, are beyond your control. Learn to let those worries go.
3. Deep breathing exercises are effective stress-relievers. Simply find a comfortable place to sit where you can keep your back straight. The key is to make sure you're breathing from your diaphragm.
Inhale deeply, but expand your stomach, not your chest. (Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach to make sure you're doing it correctly.) Exhale as much air as you can, contracting your stomach muscles as you do so. Ten minutes or so is all you need.
4. Aromatherapy, the use of pleasant odors to affect mood, can provide a pleasant sense of relaxation and well-being. Incense or scented candles of any scent you find pleasing will do, but lavender is thought to be particularly good for stress relief.
5. There's nothing wrong with patting yourself on the back occasionally. A sense of self-esteem is important for beating negativity of all kinds, so stop a minute each day and remind yourself of the things you do well.
6. Get the proper amount of rest. Too many people shortchange themselves on sleep. Make a point of getting at least seven hours a night, and if circumstances allow, don't hesitate to take a nap if you're so inclined. A good siesta can work wonders for your attitude.
7. Maintain a heart healthy diet. Your body is better able to deal with stress if it's receiving proper nutrition. This means eating several servings of fruit and vegetables a day and keeping your caloric intake of fat below 30 percent of your daily total of calories.
Stick to fish and lean meats, and don't forget high fiber foods like whole grain breads and cereals.
If you'd like more information on a good diet for your heart health, we recommend you looking into the Heart Smart Plan. It's designed to manage and lower your risk of heart disease, hypertension and even Type 2 diabetes. See the Heart Smart diet report card to learn more.
Labels: health, heart health, stress
Comment by 
said... - Wednesday, September 03, 2008 8:13:00 AM
Stress causing a heart attack? Before September, 2004 I would have thought you were crazy for saying that, but it can happen. More than that it did happen, to me. My life was out of control with stress, anger, fear and lack of peace. I woke up one morning with chest pain and just knew it was my heart. I have completely changed my life and way of thinking and I have no long term affects from the heart attack, just the on going knowledge that I had to change. Life is too short to let everything get to you. Just find your joy where ever it might be.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 03, 2008 6:04:00 PM
I am a single parent and I certainly have some stress issues! You hit the nail on the head when you said issues you can't control. I stress so much sometimes I don't even realize it until I have one of the many sides effects. I have been stressed out so bad that my entire body has broken out in hives from head to toe. Even after all the side-effects, I still can't seem to stop stressing... or maybe I just don't know how.
Sometimes I feel like if I can't take care of things myself everything will fall apart.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 10, 2008 8:28:00 AM
As a busy mother of two teens and owner of my own company, I would never has suspected stress would 'grab me'. But one day I woke up, couldn't get out of bed, and stopped doing just about everything for 6 months! I nearly lost my business, and my kids weren't happy with the meals or house cleanliness, I can guarantee that!! I wasn't watching the signs - too many over the counter drugs for too much back and neck pain and headaches. Drinking to "relax",and "thinking" instead of sleeping....
I learned my lesson. Now, I stop several times a day and go out for a walk. If it's raining, I turn on the radio loudly and dance for 20 minutes. These both bring me back to thinking about my stress level and give me time to ask myself "ok, in the great scheme of things... does all that I'm currently stressing over really matter? - NO!" No one is going to care if I don't clean the house perfectly, make a million dollars in my lifetime,am perfect, skinny, etc... Life was given to us to be happy - and give happiness. If you can't find happiness at least once in a day (even if it's playing with your cat or dog) then let me tell you right now FIND IT!!
Comment by said... - Wednesday, September 10, 2008 3:18:00 PM
I know for a fact that stress is almost the cause for every ailment in my life right now. However, with this amount of stress I have no desire to exercise and sitting and breathing or whatever I try just tends to give me more time to think and stress. My husband is always telling me to let it go but I have no idea how to do that. Eating right and exercise and chilling out sounds great but "fitting" it in here and there is unrealistic. So what's a real answer to stress relief?
Comment by said... - Thursday, October 09, 2008 1:15:00 PM
I agree stress can cause heart attack or any other kind of heart problems,but I can't seems to stop worrying and stressing I am very depress I had a worker comp, claim from a job and while I was out I lost my job,lost the ability to do things for myself,now I have to have help with me,now tell me how I can stop stressing and let go. I have tried and tried but when you lose something you usually have that one thing but when you lose your independs that whole another stress.Now help me with that.
Comment by 
em6845 said... - Wednesday, December 03, 2008 5:57:00 AM
Finding your best stress relievers is much like on on good weight loss program in that it requires your commitment and is more like on on lifestyle change than on on temporary "fix". I, too often don't "feel like" exercising or feel silly when deep-breathing, etc. Then I lost my job and truly fell onto on on deep depression. I started eating small snacks/meals several times on on day as on on full meal made my stomach hurt. My arthritis in my spine, hips, ankles, etc.became very painful and I couldn't afford medical treatment (no job, remember) so I started swimming and doing some water aerobics exercises as I could barely walk with on on cane out of the water. I relieved much of my depression and other stress side-effects and went from a 5'3" 270 lb blimp to on on much more reasonable 130 lbs in a year or so. Thia also resulted in reducing my meds for diabetes from 5 (2 injectibles and 3 orals-several times on on day) to 1 (oral med twice daily). If I can, ANYONE can!
Comment by kvsmm said... - Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:40:00 AM
I have a pacemaker/defibulator for Cardiac Myopothy and Heart Failure. I also have a very high stress job, (which I need in order to pay for the heart problems!)but the stress of work isn't the problem. I work in what you could call a toxic environment. We have had a new boss for over a year now, and my BP has raised a lot, my mood has fallen, and my weight has increased due to depression during that time. There's stress that accompanies a job, then there's a different kind of stress from a hostile work environment. I think the latter is much more destructive, and harder to deal with. Kvsmm
Comment by said... - Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:24:00 PM
I believe stress causes a lot of health problems more than people realize. When I was a kid I had a seizure disorder the doctors said this was caused by stress. Then when i was 17 i had bells palsy and couldnt move one side of my face this usually only happens to old people. Once again doctors said because of stress. Now they thought i had a heart attack or stroke, or i have severe nerve damage (im 30). I was having chest pain, face numbness, and nose bleeds. I know it's because of stress because I've had several big stressful events especially with my husband the past couple of months plus I work overnights and don't sleep enough and have 3 kids I do A LOT for and feel out of control. I'm going to see a therapist and get my life back together, I'm too young for this.
Comment by said... - Friday, December 19, 2008 11:20:00 AM
Stress is a killer, no doubt about it. My partner just got back from the hospital where he had congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema. Many other blogs also testify to this. I think many times stress is also linked to anger and frustration, and I found two books that have helped me enormously with that: "Anger" by Thich Nhat Hanh, and "When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Chodron. What they espouse has helped me more than any therapist ever did; they totally changed my mode of thinking/feeling. Other things that help: meditation, exercise, even just a short walk out in nature, calming music, good diet and getting enough sleep. Sometimes extra B vitamins can help with depression. Best wishes to all of you who suffer, you are not alone.
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