Stress and Heart Attacks

A little stress in life is normal but when it becomes a part of your everyday life, it can be dangerous. There is scientific and medical evidence that link stress and heart attack for instance. A very sobering thought to be sure, but what can you do to minimize your risk? The first thing on the agenda is to understand stress, how it affects your body and what you can do to reduce it in your daily life.

Stress

Stress is the body’s natural reaction to a threat, real or perceived. You may know it better as the fight or flight response. Early man experienced this phenomenon when faced with physical danger from wild animals and the elements; it is part of why the human population has been able to survive some very extreme conditions. Modern human beings are not generally faced with physical perils, at least not on a daily basis. Today people suffer from stress when they feel their way of life is threatened. These can be personal situations, relationships or employment related.

When you feel “threatened”, the brain releases various stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones quickly go into action increasing respiration and your heart rate as well as tightening muscles in preparation to fight or flee. Speed, reaction time and focus are super enhanced and prepared for just about anything. While all of this sounds great, the human body was never meant to exist in this state perpetually. The body cannot distinguish between actual physical danger and emotional or mental stress.

 If you are under stress every day, your body will soon show the ill effects.

Are you on stress overload? Consider some of the following signs:

• Memory issues

• Fatigue

• Moodiness

• Feeling overwhelmed

• Aches and pains

• Constipation or diarrhea

• Procrastinating

• Isolating

• Eating issues (too much or too little)

Stress and Heart Attack

What does all this have to do with the signs of a heart attack? There are a myriad of reactions that occur in the body when you encounter stress including increased heart rate and reduced blood flow to the heart. Cardiologists have discovered that the reduction of blood flow to the heart is the same whether the stress is physical or psychological in nature.

Constant stress floods the body with cortisol and norepinephrine, otherwise known as stress hormones. Continually released into the blood stream these can result in the following:

• High blood pressure

• Hypertension

• Diabetes

• Increased fat stores

The connection between stress and heart attacks is not necessarily a direct link but more of a cyclical issue. High stress hormones can lead to overeating, depression, reduced thyroid function and more. It is somewhat of a cumulative effect.

Signs of a Heart Attack

Are you concerned about stress and heart attacks? If you are living with stress every day, it is important to know the signs of a heart attack. Most people know the common signs, which include chest and arm pain, but there are a few more insidious signs of a heart attack.

• Chest pain is not the only upper body pain that can be indicative of a heart attack. Jaw, neck and stomach pain can also be a sign.

• Shortness of breath- this commonly occurs in conjunction with or directly after chest pain. However, it can also proceed chest pain or occur independently.

• Nausea

• Cold Sweat

• Light headedness

• Weakness

• Unusual fatigue

• Indigestion like symptoms

Alleviating Stress and Reducing Risk

As you probably already know, eating a healthy diet and getting adequate exercise are two heart attack preventative measures. Eating healthy and exercising improves cardiovascular function while helping you maintain a healthy weight. In addition to diet and exercise, you may want to consider some stress relieving techniques.

Avoidance- it would be naïve to think you can avoid every instance of stress in your life. Work issues, a death in the family and other issues are many times simply unavoidable. However, if you have friendships that are causing stress in your life, it may be time to consider meeting new people.

Relaxation- What do you do to relax? If this word is strangely missing from your vocabulary, it is time to make a change. Perhaps the best technique for relaxing is to take some time for yourself. Think about things you enjoy, reading, dancing, swimming, visiting a museum or simply hanging out with a best friend.

Breathing- when stressful situations occur deep breathing techniques. Slow deep breathing releases the body’s natural pain killing hormones, endorphins. This practice can slow a racing heart, relax the muscles and clear your mind in minutes.

Conclusion

Stress and heart attacks have a definitive link, though some would argue it is not a direct cause and effect. In other words, bad news, shocking situations or even intense fear is not likely to induce a heart attack. Nonetheless, constant exposure to stress can lead to heart disease and more. Understanding stress and learning to manage it better could help save your life.

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