Stress can take a big toll on your body, but many people don’t realize that it’s really hard on your heart. Since it can increase your risk of cardiovascular events, you want to reduce it as much as possible. That’s not always easy, of course, depending on your job and other aspects of your life, but finding ways to reduce or eliminate big sources of stress in your life can be very important to helping you live longer and stay healthier.
Stress Raises Cortisol Levels
Ian Weisberg and other medical professionals will tell you that stress is one of the biggest issues for raising cortisol and affecting a number of the body’s organs and systems. When people think of stress and cortisol they often think of issues like anxiety or anger, but there are other concerns. When cortisol is high it can contribute to poor sleep and increased belly fat, both of which are hard on your heart. Bringing those levels down requires a reduction in stress for increased protection.
Increased Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
During a stressful event your heart rate rises and your blood pressure climbs. That’s be design and it’s a biological change that makes sense when there’s danger nearby. However, having nearly constant stress doesn’t give your heart or blood vessels a chance to relax, and that can have devastating consequences on the health of your heart and the risk you’re under. You need breaks from stress so you can rest and bring your blood pressure down to a more normal range.
Getting the Chance to Relax
According to Dr. Ian Weisberg and other medical professionals, the opportunity to relax is one of the best things for your heart. When you rest, you help your body regroup for the next event or experience, and that can mean handling a stressful issue better or taking care of something that’s been on your to-do list for a while. No matter what else is taking place in your life, it’s important that you take some time for yourself, as it’s a good way to help protect your heart from damage.
Lowering Stress to Repair Your Body
Your body is good at repairing itself in a lot of ways, but if you’re under chronic stress, that repair process isn’t going to be as efficient or effective. When you find ways to lower your stress levels, though, you give your heart and other organs the chance to repair themselves more easily. That’s a great way to keep your heart as healthy as possible, even if you have a high-stress job or home life.
It’s not possible to avoid all stress in life, and some stress is good for you. It’s just the prolonged levels of high stress that can typically cause issues with the health of your heart, and avoiding or reducing these kinds of experiences is a great way to start managing your heart health more fully.
