How does stress impact my heart health?
Everyone experiences stress to some degree, whether it’s pressure at work, receiving an unexpected bill or getting a flat car battery. How you manage stress can impact your daily life as well as physical health. Sustained levels of stress can adversely affect your heart. Understanding how stress impacts your heart health can help you avoid heart issues in the future.
How does stress affect your heart?
Stress levels for Americans are at an all-time high, and so it heart disease. Stress can affect your behaviors and habits, creating higher risks for heart disease by engaging in unhealthy activities such as overeating, smoking, or drinking alcohol excessively. These habits can increase your blood pressure and damage artery walls.
Stress causes your body to release adrenaline that increases your heart rate and breathing. In addition, it also causes your blood pressure levels to rise. These reactions enable you to deal with stressful situations. When you face chronic stress, your body can stay in high gear for days or weeks at a time. This extra stress can put a strain on your heart and negatively impact your body’s ability to cope with life in general.
What can I do to manage stress in a healthy way?
If you feel stressed, luckily, there are many healthy stress management options. Here are a few ideas:
- Practice meditation. A few minutes focusing on the breath helps to calm your nerves and develop a positive mindset.
- Fill up on healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Eating junk food may make you feel comforted for a moment, but you will feel worse overall.
- Take a walk. Exercise is a fantastic stress reliever that can work in minutes.
- Enjoy aromatherapy. Certain scents can alter brain wave activity and decrease stress hormones in the body.
- Maintain social support through friends and family. You may even choose to confide in a network of people who are struggling just as you are.
You don’t have to limit your techniques to the ones we’ve mentioned. Do what feels right for you. We hope these tips help to improve your stress levels! Taking care of your health and wellbeing should be your first priority. Contact the insurance professionals at Donald Weiss Insurance Services in Santa Monica for all of your health care coverage needs throughout Southern California.