Stress and a Heart Attack: Is There a Connection?

Stress and a Heart Attack: Is There a Connection?

People who experience a lot of stress have likely been told more than once in their lives that stress can kill them. Or, that stress can cut their lives short.

But can it really? Can stress lead to heart attacks or other issues that could be dangerous to your health?

Well, according to research, it can. Increased psychological stress is associated with cardiovascular health issues, including high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

Indeed, psychological stress may be as dangerous to your heart’s health as traditional cardiac risk factors, like:

• irritability
• depression
• anxiety
• rumination
• anguish

No two causes of stress are the same, and no two people will have the same experience with it.

Chronic stress can cause symptoms like:

•  high blood pressure  
•  increased inflammation
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•  reduced blood flow to the heart
•  a higher risk of heart attack and stroke

What can you do to manage stress in a healthy way?

Chronic psychological stress is linked to a greater risk of heart attack and stroke. But positive mental health can help lower your risk of these events.

Managing stress is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It may take weeks or months to figure out what types of stress management techniques best help you reign in stress and reverse the physical effects that chronic stress can have on your body.

Consider trying these steps to help manage stress in a healthy way:

• Move more. Regular exercise helps decrease blood pressure, manage weight, and combat the many cardiovascular risks associated with heart attack, including psychological stress. You don’t have to do a lot of exercise to reap the rewards. Start out with 15 to 20 minutes of walking per day, and build up to a pace and duration that is comfortable for you.
• Focus on sleep. Sleep and stress have an interconnected relationship. Often, people who are experiencing chronic stress have problems getting enough sleep, which can worsen stress and its symptoms, like irritability and mood swings. Start by creating a room that is conducive to sleep — a cool, dark space with no outside light or noise — and try to avoid interruptions to your sleep cycle, like exercising late in the evening or eating too close to bedtime. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep, and take a short nap if you need to, but not too late in the day.
• Stay connected. Meeting up with friends or going to dinner with family is about more than just catching up on news or celebrating a birthday. These friendships and relationships can help improve your heart health and reduce your stress levels, too.
• Be mindful. Meditation, controlled breathing exercises, and gentle forms of exercise like yoga and tai chi all work to activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system. This part of the body helps calm the brain and reduce the impacts of stress.
• Distract yourself. A hobby or new pastime won’t end chronic stress, but it can help distract you from negative thoughts and push away worries. When you’re not focused on these issues, your brain and body get a chance to relax. Over time, these distractions may take up more of your brain’s capacity than the stress.