How to Protect Against Stress-Related Heart Disease

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Lifehacker talks about the latest research and simple habits to maintain health.

We've already written about how stress negatively affects the brain and digestion. In addition, it increases the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. Swedish scientists came to this conclusion by comparing the indicators of 100 thousand people suffering from various stress disorders and their healthy brothers and sisters. The researchers analyzed the participants' data for 27 years. It turned out that people with such ailments (PTSD, acute stress after trauma) have a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease.

“In the first year after stress is identified, the risk of cardiovascular complications increases by 60%,” says epidemiologist Unnur Valdimarsdóttir, one of the study's authors. "And in the long term it remains 30% higher."

It is impossible to completely get rid of stress. But its impact on health depends a lot on our response to it.

“Imagine walking down the street and someone pops up in front of you and scares you,” says Professor Simon Bacon, who studies the effects of lifestyle on chronic disease. - What will happen? Your heart will beat faster and your blood pressure will rise. The reaction will be instant. This is useful in the short term. This reaction is necessary for you to run away from danger or attack in response.

Problems begin when a stress response occurs without an immediate threat. For example, in people with PTSD, it is triggered simply by remembering a negative experience.

“When stress reactions are repeated frequently, the immune system is activated and inflammation develops,” says Ernesto Schiffrin, a professor of medicine at McGill University. And it can lead to atherosclerosis - a narrowing of the arteries. Through them, blood flows from the heart to the organs. With atherosclerosis, they become narrower, the movement of fluid becomes difficult, the likelihood of a heart attack, stroke and other problems with the cardiovascular system increases.

Here are the steps to help you protect yourself from stress:

1. Go in for sports … The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed more than a million people about their habits and well-being. It turned out that those who go in for sports are less likely to suffer from psychological problems. Moreover, in the fight against stress and anxiety, team types are especially useful. If they don't appeal to you, choose a walk in the woods, jogging, or any other type of physical activity.
2. Chat with people … Loneliness has turned into a real epidemic. In one survey, two out of five participants complain of a lack of communication or feelings of isolation. And this harms both mental and physical health. So try to spend more time with your friends and family. Sign up for group lessons about something that interests you, or volunteer. This will help you meet new people and relieve the feeling of isolation from society.
3. Apply relaxation and meditation techniques … Mindfulness practices have been shown to help reduce the stress response and even lower blood pressure.
4. Eat well … Food and mood are closely related. A diet high in processed carbohydrates and sugars can lead to metabolic problems and mood swings. Choose a diet like the Mediterranean diet: lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish.
5. Seek help from a specialist … Lifestyle changes can help you cope with everyday stress, but they are not enough if you have a serious disorder. Do not force yourself to endure and smile. Treat mental health the same as physical: seek professional help.