Most of us know that smoking, high blood pressure and eating bags of French fries can be bad for our hearts. But there is another culprit: stress also can increase your chances of having a heart attack or other heart problems.

In its most severe form, stress has the power to induce an unusual form of heart attack. Unlike typical heart attacks, broken heart syndrome (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy) is triggered by extreme emotions and stress, which creates a surge of heart-weakening hormones.

This rare condition is triggered by situations that cause overwhelming stress. Examples include job loss, death of a family member, divorce, unexpected relocation or even an intense argument with a close friend. The condition is usually temporary, with recovery occurring within a few months.

Yet even when stress doesn’t rise to such an extreme, it can still threaten your health. Stress can make you restless, depriving you of needed sleep. It can make you anxious. It also contributes to weight gain, depression and high blood pressure.

Stress as a Multiplier

Beyond the direct impact that stress has on your body, it also has the potential to make other risk factors worse.

How do you react when you are having a hard time at work or are dealing with relationship difficulties? Do you reach for a glass (or more) of wine or a pack of cigarettes? Or maybe you drop by the store and grab a package of cookies and a carton of ice cream.

Unfortunately, many of these coping mechanisms don’t do any favors for your body and heart. You may feel better in the moment, but these reactions can cause more trouble down the road. Smoking, excessive drinking and those fun dopamine-releasing foods increase your risk for cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension.

There’s nothing you can do to avoid stress. Your life will have stressful moments, no matter how much you might wish it to be otherwise. That’s why it is important for you to take an honest assessment of the stresses in your life and how they are affecting you.

Take five or ten minutes a day to ask yourself how things are going. Are there situations in your life that are causing anxiety or uncertainty? And then have a plan for what you are going to do when your stressors are on the rise – so that you don’t reach for the cookies and wine.

Strategies to Reduce Stress

The key to managing stress is finding time for yourself and the activities you enjoy. Even if it feels like your day is stacked with obligations, be sure to schedule some time for yourself and your heart. Among the stress-reduction strategies:

• Exercise: 30 minutes of cardio exercise each day will benefit your heart and reduce stress.
• Favorite hobby: Find something you enjoy (cooking, photography or reading, for example) that takes your mind off your stresses.
• Meditation: Yoga and other forms of meditation can help calm your mind. This could be as simple as spending five or 10 minutes meditating in your car before going to work.
• Socialize: Spend quality time with family and friends.
• Watch your diet: Skip junk food and focus on a well-balanced diet. Foods high in antioxidants (tea, beans, tomatoes and blueberries) can protect your body’s cells. Vitamin-rich foods (citrus, bell peppers and garlic) can boost your immune system.
• Keep a journal: This can help you keep track of what’s causing your stress so that you can better prepare for them.
• Sleep well: A good night’s rest lets your body heal, while sleepless nights can increase your stress levels.
• Counseling: If self-help strategies aren’t working, consider seeing a professional counselor.

What makes these activities so valuable is that they all have the potential to make you feel better. When you exercise, eat healthy foods and spend time with your favorite hobbies, it puts your mind in a better place, which can only help your heart.

This content is not AI generated.