Due to the ongoing pandemic, stress and anxiety are at an all-time high for many individuals. There can be various causes of stress. It can be emotional, fretting about not having enough of something, or losing someone close. However, they can also come from less tense situations like ordinary commitments and pressures that make you feel less controlled.

If your body’s response to stress and anxiety is constant, and your body is in high gear off and on for days or weeks at a time, it can cause serious health repercussions. Chronic stress may lead to high blood pressure, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke. A hormone called cortisol is discharged in response to stress. If you have long-term stress, the high cortisol levels increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure. This strain can also facilitate plaque deposits in the arteries, causing severe heart problems.

Even trivial stress and anxiety can trigger poor blood flow to the heart. The heart doesn’t get blood or oxygen adequately in this state, and long-term stress can involve blood clots, increasing the risk of stroke. Additionally, people who experience a lot of stress tend to smoke, consume alcohol or choose unhealthy techniques to deal with stress, worsening the condition.

Common effects of stress include:

• Headache
• Back strain
• Stomach pains
• Minimized energy and sleep
• Feelings of anxiety, anger, and depression
• Impatience
• Smoking
• Overeating
• Excessive Crankiness or Forgetfulness

Stressful circumstances can trigger the development of a chain of events. The hormones released can temporarily cause your breathing and heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to rise.

Mental well-being can positively or negatively impact your physical health and enhance heart disease and stroke risk factors. Each individual responds differently to stress and anxiety cases. Some might react strongly, while someone else may be relaxed. Find out the source of what is causing stress in your life and look for methods to reduce and control them. Stress management is good for everyone’s health and sanity. 

Negative psychological health is associated with increased heart disease and stroke risk. But positive mental health implies a lower risk of heart disease and even death. Negative mental health conditions involve depression, chronic stress, anxiety, anger, pessimism, and dissatisfaction with life. These conditions are associated with potentially harmful responses in our bodies like irregular heart rate and rhythm, increased digestive problems, increased blood pressure, inflammation and reduced blood flow to the heart.

Consult a psychologist/psychiatrist to help you find ways to manage your stress.

To reduce stress and anxiety situations, try the following:

• Get a lot of physical workouts — Minimum 30 minutes, 5 days a week can help improve your heart health by managing weight, improving cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, and lessening the risk of depression. Try yoga, walking, meditation as they also lower your stress levels.
• Build a robust support system — If you have someone to talk to or a strong network you and trust and interact with, it can reduce your stress level and your risk of heart disease. If you are already having problems with your heart, this same person/network can help reduce your risk of heart attack by providing comfort and relief. Self-care is also promoted if you have a strong support system.
• Get enough sleep. Adults should strive for at least seven sleep per night.
• Seeking help via consultation or treatment — Seek treatment for constant depression or anxiety. Depression and anxiety can increase the risks of death from heart diseases if you already have them. Discuss with your therapist if you notice any symptoms and check for medicines that can help.
• Do not overstress about work- Having a taxing work profile that provides very little reward can increase your risk for heart disease. Stress at work can become a bigger and more serious problem if you do not have a strong support system or suffer from long-term anxiety. You should do what you can to manage your environment at work. For example, try to take some time off from work and do something relaxing and that you enjoy, or practice relaxation techniques while listening to music.
• Maintain a strong positive attitude.

Project Global Cure recommends stress management or relaxation courses to beat stress. Find out ways to reduce your stress and anxiety levels by identifying your sources of stress and dealing with them. Embracing composure while facing life challenges may help improve your attitude towards stress and anxiety, and you can adapt to a better quality of life with good heart health.

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