Introduction
“Take it easy or else you can develop heart disease.” These words are often said as a joke by some people. But, is there some truth in it? Can stress cause heart disease?
In this article, I want to look at stress and heart disease, and how emotional stress and job stress are linked to heart disease, as well as some of the measures one can take to reduce his or her stress.
What is the Connection Between Stress and Heart Disease
Some doctors believe that there is a relationship between stress and heart disease.
Stress can cause physiological changes in your body, including your heart. When you experience stressful situations often, your heart muscles work harder than they would normally do. Additionally, stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are pumped into your bloodstream, and they circulate through your body.
Adrenaline and cortisol can bruise the walls of the arteries of the heart. Consequently, the walls of the arteries may thicken and atherosclerosis may occur. The heart muscles may have to work harder to pump blood and that can cause a heart attack.
Emotional Stress and Heart Disease
Doctors believe that emotional stress can lead to the development of coronary heart disease in certain situations.
When you go through one emotional stress after the other, inflammations develop in the coronary arteries and, as a result, plaque builds up in the arteries.
Consequently, the lumen, or passageway through the arteries, becomes narrow, blood flows through the arteries under greater pressure, and that can cause a heart attack.
Additionally, research shows that when one experiences stress, cholesterol levels in the body can rise over time. Consequently, the blood pressure of the person also rises, increasing the likelihood that the person may suffer from a heart attack.
Job or Workplace Stress and Coronary Heart Disease
You have lots of files piled up on your desk at work which you have to work on, right? Or, do you work overtime many days of the working week because you want to clear a backlog of work at the office?
If this is what you go through regularly, you may need to adopt coping strategies to help you deal with these situations better.
According to Michael Miller, Medical Director at the University of Maryland’s Center for Preventive Cardiology, work-related stress is not good for the heart.
Furthermore, a study by Harvard Medical School has shown that women whose work is stressful have an increased risk of getting heart disease.
So, people who work in high-stress jobs such as firefighting, airline piloting, policing, photojournalism, and event coordinating have the greatest risk of developing heart disease.
Psychological Stress and Heart Disease
Some natural disasters can cause psychological trauma, which may have an adverse effect on the heart. For example, studies show that after earthquakes, people are at a greater risk of developing heart disease.
Stress Promotes Unhealthy Eating Habits
Many people tend to eat fast-foods when they are under pressure to deliver. These foods, because they contain a lot of fat as well as a lot of cholesterol, damage the arteries of the heart and, as a result, a heart attack may occur.
Additionally, some people choose to deal with their stress by smoking or drinking alcohol, two habits that are known to increase one’s risk of developing heart disease.
Ways to Manage Your Stress
There are various strategies and techniques you can use to manage your stress:
1. Exercise
Research shows that aerobic exercise can help one to reduce his or her stress. Therefore, make it a point to run for about thirty minutes in the morning before you go off to work. When you come home from work in the evening, take a brisk walk around your neighborhood after dinner. And on weekends, spend about an hour swimming.
2. Sleep
When you don’t get enough sleep, your stress levels will increase. On the other hand, getting enough sleep can help you to feel relaxed.
So, ensure that you get at least six hours of sleep every day. Manage your sleeping environment so that you can have a restful sleep.
3. Learn How to Relax
Do deep breathing exercises regularly. Furthermore, make it a habit to meditate often—read your Bible and meditate on the words of that Great Book for about 15 minutes, every day. The words of hope and inspiration in the Bible will remind you that we have a Strong Anchor who is always ready to help us carry our burdens, and that will help you to calm down.
4. Listen to Your Favorite Music Often
Research has shown that listening to music can help to soothe your heart by relaxing your arteries.
So, make it a habit to enjoy your favorite songs whenever you are not seriously occupied. Alternatively, listen to the songs you adore whilst on your way to work, at lunchtime, and when you get home tired and worn out.
5. Pray
Research shows that spirituality and prayer can help people to deal with stress. Therefore, do your best to attend Sunday worship. Sing during praise and worship sessions, and dance to the glory of God during praise time.
Additionally, every day, intone prayers such as this one, “Dear God, I thank You for the gift of life. I thank You for giving me this body. Lord, You inform us in Your Word that we will have many trials and tribulations here on Earth. But, You urge us to pray to You when we feel weak, and when we feel overwhelmed by our problems. Lord, please give me Your grace and strength to help me bear my responsibilities today. I lay all my burdens, worries, and fears down at Your feet, just as You commanded us to do. Please give me emotional release and peace of mind so that I can live a healthy life, free from stress and heart disease. Amen.”
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