Is Stress Linked to Your Health?

Stress is strain or tension placed on the body. In short, it is the mental, emotional and physiological response the body has to new or changing situations. Thus, stress occurs when a situation causes a change in our normal daily routine. Stress can result from a number of stimuli, ranging from something as simple as a traffic jam on the way home from work to the more complex birth of a child. But not all stress affects the body negatively. Studies show that the body often functions better under certain amounts of positive stress; however, too much stress can make you vulnerable to life–threatening illnesses.

When the body experiences stress, it responds with a “physiological response” known as the “fight or flight mechanism.”1 The body then releases a series of hormones from various glands, two of which are cortisol and adrenaline, that help increase the heart rate and blood pressure, deepen breathing, and prepare the body for its next step, which it understands as either to fight or flee. Once you have chosen an appropriate response (that is, you have either dealt with the stress of escaped from it), your body returns to normal.

However, when the body is suffering from chronic stress, it is unable to complete the above cycle and becomes susceptible to other complications, including heart disease, digestive issues, insomnia and weight loss or gain. Therefore, reducing stress is essential to one’s health and to the management of chronic diseases, especially those such as coronary artery disease which relate to the heart and its function.

Understanding What Causes Stress

Chronic stress weakens the immune system, leaving you susceptible to illness, and restricts your ability to cope with the daily stressors of life. What may have been a minor concern at work can become almost unbearable due to the limited functionality of the body when it is faced with chronic stress. Your job, your family, your finances and your marital status can all contribute to chronic stress, which, in turn, can be physically and psychologically harmful. Other situations that can cause chronic stress include

• experiencing more than one stressful situation at a time;
• experiencing a traumatic event such as the loss of a family member; and/or
• experiencing a large decline in health or finances.

How Does Stress Affect the Heart?

Because the natural responses that occur in the body are closely related to the heart, many heart related conditions can be attributed to chronic stress. Stress over a long period of time can

• narrow the arteries, increasing the risk for angina or a heart attack;
• increase blood pressure, increasing the risk for heart attack; and/or
• increase the heart’s workload and rate, causing irregular heartbeats.

Reducing Stress

According to Fitness & Wellness, “[t]he ways in which people perceive and cope with stress seems to be more important in the development of disease than the amount and type of stress itself.”2 Therefore, an individual who learns to cope with stress more effectively will prevent the development of conditions as a result of stress. Just like coronary artery disease, chronic stress is best managed by understanding and learning to cope. You can begin to manage stress by following some tips below.

• Take care of your body through healthy eating and exercise. This will strengthen your immune system and naturally reenergize you.
• Relax when stressful situations erupt. Try deep breathing techniques, meditation or yoga to help you calm your nerves and refocus on the task.
• Look at life positively. Try to focus only the positive elements of your life when faced with a stressful, difficult or negative situation. Refocusing on the positive may help you see the situation in a new light.
• Talk it over. Talk to a friend or family member about how you feel. Sometimes simply verbalizing your concerns can change your outlook.
• Seek additional help. Do not be afraid to talk to your doctor, therapist, counselor or psychiatrist.
• Surround yourself with a support network. Keep supportive, positive friends and family around you to help you when you are feeling overwhelmed.
• Have an outlet. Find someone to talk to when you need to vent your frustrations.

What Are the Benefits of Reducing Stress?

When the body acts against a stressor, it experiences a sense of relaxation and relief. However, it is not always possible to achieve the relaxation effect, especially when a situation does not allow you to act against (fight or flee from) what is causing you stress. However, you can still achieve the benefits of fighting or fleeing by actively focusing on reducing stress. When stress is reduced and coped with more effectively, the heart as well as other organs benefit immensely. Reducing stress causes

• your heart rate to slow down, placing less stress on your heart;
• your blood pressure to lower, helping your heart return to a normal level of exertion; and
• increased blood flow to all major muscle groups, resulting in less muscle tension.

1 Hoeger, Werner W. K. and Sharon A. Hoeger. Fitness & Wellness, 4th Ed. p. 51

2 Hoeger Fitness & Wellness 143