We've all felt the effects of stress at some point, whether it's trying to balance work and home life or dealing with a difficult event. Prolonged stress can drastically affect both our physical and mental health. Over the years, the relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease has been well documented.
“A recent study looked at the impact of stress on the development of heart disease,” says Dr. Brett Heilbron, a cardiologist and HealthChoicesFirst.com partner. “It was clearly shown to be a major factor for the development of heart attack. In addition, there have been some studies looking at anger and depression scores, and both of these actually predict worse outcomes in individuals who have had a heart attack. Because anger and stress can make blood pressure worse, I think it's important for individuals to be aware of these issues and to follow up with their health provider.”
How to Reduce and Manage Stress
Learning to manage stress can be an important step in preventing heart disease. Too often, we take the “band-aid approach” to deal with stress, using alcohol, drugs, food or cigarettes to temporarily cope and relieve our symptoms. However, it's important to research long-term approaches to coping with stress rather than just looking at short-term fixes that may be extremely unhealthy. Could you also benefit from talking to a psychologist or psychiatrist?
“Stress reduction is a significant part of the treatment of heart disease, as well as the prevention of it and individuals should be encouraged to reduce the amount of stress in their life,” says Dr. Heilbron. “Often, this involves working less, exercising more and just taking the time to deal with their health.”
Watch our video on reducing stress at work.