Shedding Light on Stress and Heart Health

 

April - National Stress Awareness Month - focuses on both the causes and cures of the modern stress epidemic. It has been running since 1992 to increase public awareness for the same; however, we still have a long way to go. Stress can be enervating, causing, or putting out health problems, but it's also a common part of our lives. Quite often, stress is linked with heart health. "Chronic stress is connected with aggravated cardiovascular events," Schiffrin stated, pointing to a 2017 study in The Lancet. While your heart is a vital organ, it's essential to understand the ugly effects of stress on it. Below we throw some light on how stress harms your heart.

Harms of Stress on our Heart

When you're stressed, a hormone named cortisol produces in response to stress. High cortisol levels may increase blood pressure and blood cholesterol triglycerides - traditional heart disease risk factors. Taking the cases of minor stresses may trigger heart problems, and Chronic stress may affect the way your blood clots. Chronic stress may also pose physiological changes directly that direct to atherosclerosis - the gradual buildup of plaque deposits in the arteries. Your heart's functioning and condition can be detected with the help of a Holter monitor system. It is a portable electrocardiogram [ECG], records the heart's electrical activity - excellent to use while you're away from your doctor.

Stressing about Stress? Don't!

National Stress Awareness Month recognizes the importance of coping up with stress. Fortunately, you can deal with and decrease the effects of stress on your mind and body. The first step that goes along is identifying triggering situations that lead to stress and learn to control your body and mind's reaction to these situations. Adopting essential lifestyle habits is one such way that might help you feel less vulnerable to stress and its effects on your heart.

Tips for Stress Relief

• Exercise: Regular workouts may counteract the effects of stress. You should perform moderately intense physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day. It has been seen that people who exercise tend to respond better to potentially stressful situations. Their heart rates and blood pressure are maintained and do not go as high as people under stress who do not exercise.
• Get Support: A solid social support network has positive effects on how you feel - physically and emotionally. Moreover, having someone to talk to and trust helps you feel better and take care of yourself.
• Seek Professional Treatment: Anxiety and depression may increase the risk of heart problems. Hence, it is best to consult a professional or physician about proper stress-reduction techniques and stress management strategies.

 

Stress relief is heart relief. Closely monitor your heart's health with a high-quality Holter monitor system from a reputed provider. Nasiff's Holter Monitoring ECG System provides reliable and accurate data. It has a feature-rich monitoring system that is compact and comprehensive.