Are You Stressing Out Your Heart?
Stress can have a important impact on heart health, potentially triggering arrhythmias and even contributing to acute cardiac events like heart attacks. According to cardiologist Dr. Finlay, stress doesn’t necessarily cause heart problems, but can shift the timing of events that were likely to occur anyway.
The heart’s response to stress is rooted in evolution, preparing the body for extreme physical exertion. Though,when this response is activated by mental stress rather than intense exercise,it can be detrimental. Stress can trigger arrhythmias – irregular heartbeats – and alter the complex regulation of conduction within the heart.
While acute stress has been linked to heart attacks, notably around high-risk events like surgical procedures, establishing a direct causal link is difficult. dr. Finlay explains that stress frequently enough accelerates an event that would have happened nonetheless. “If, such as, a person has heart disease and is likely to have a heart arrhythmia within the next few weeks or months, an acute stress event may make them more likely to occur around the acute time of that stress event.”
It’s crucial to understand that managing stress alone isn’t a cure for heart disease, nor is it a guaranteed preventative measure. Dr. Finlay emphasizes, “Controlling mental stress alone won’t treat heart disease…Nor is it sufficient to reliably prevent heart disease.” He advocates for learning to manage stress effectively, rather than attempting to eliminate it entirely.
Fortunately, several stress management techniques can help mitigate these effects.Dr. Finlay suggests:
* Identify and remove chronic stressors: “Try and actively remove the chronic things that may cause you stress in life and put the body under excess stress.”
* Adopt a healthy lifestyle: This includes avoiding smoking, moderating alcohol consumption, and engaging in regular exercise.
* Reduce screen time: Excessive smartphone use and social media addiction can negatively impact mental health. “Taking control of one’s online habits can help.”
* Incorporate regular exercise: Exercise is linked to other beneficial behaviors like a healthy diet and moderate alcohol consumption.
* Re-evaluate priorities: ”Some other cardiac stress-reducing tips may be to ensure one reviews what is really significant to oneself in life rather than being always caught up in the immediate day-to-day.”
As highlighted in a related article, it’s how you handle stress, not the amount of stress itself, that ultimately impacts your health. Learning to navigate stress effectively is a vital component of overall well-being and heart health.
