There is no doubt that a common cause of heart disease is stress. Stress and heart disease have been associated with each other for years. It is important to learn to recognize stress and take appropriate steps to avoid all the harmful effects. Plenty of research has been conducted on the relation between stress and how it can lead to heart troubles. Stress can also lead to many people developing coronary problems at a very early age.
Stress is known to be among the number one killers, especially with the busy lifestyles that many people live. Added pressures at work and on the domestic front only exacerbate the problem further.
Stress typically leads to high blood pressure, which in turn leads to heart disease. Stress also increases the cholesterol levels in the body, which is once again a major cause for a heart condition. Overeating can be a result of stress, leading to weight gain and consequently to heart problems. Other bad habits such as smoking and drinking are also associated with stress, while smoking is known to be a cause for heart disease. Hence, directly or indirectly, stress seems to be linked to heart disease in many ways.
Prolonged periods of stress can lead to a weak immune system. This in turn lowers the body’s resistance to illnesses and weakens the heart as well. With such compelling evidence, there is no doubt that stress and heart disease are related. If stress can be controlled it can be the first step towards preventing heart disease.
Most people undergo plenty of job stress that can have a negative impact on their health, especially the cardiovascular system. There have been several studies conducted on the relation between job stress and heart disease. Researchers have undertaken the study of individuals who have returned to the job place after experiencing a heart attack. According to observations in the first six weeks and once again two years later, people who returned to a stressful job were more likely to experience another heart attack as compared to those with stress free jobs.
There is good stress as well as bad stress that exists. Good stress can be emotional or physical and is generally experienced in short bursts. Physical stress includes activities such as exercise which is good for the heart. Emotional stress can be experienced when you try something new or face a sudden fearful situation that does not last long. Bad stress on the other hand is prolonged and low lever stress where the body is exposed to high levels of cortisol or ‘stress hormone’ which is released by the body, thereby increasing the risk of coronary disease.
The bottom line to beat stress and heart disease is to lead a healthy lifestyle, stick to a diet, exercise regularly, and learn to cope with situations in a better manner so that stress does not get the better of you.
