The Role of Stress in Heart Disease

Stress spares no one—whether it is finances, personal relationships, or even exciting life events, you have probably felt stressed at some point. While it’s a natural part of life, it can sometimes feel overwhelming and take a toll on our health, especially our hearts. Ever noticed your heart racing or getting extra sweaty when faced with a challenge? If so, this message is for you.

Stress, whether brief or prolonged, can affect our heart health, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to control us. This World Heart Day let’s take a moment to reflect on what triggers stress in our lives and how we can manage it. By doing so, we can protect our hearts and embrace a healthier, brighter future!

India, the Capital of Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) or heart disease is an umbrella term for issues in the heart and blood vessels. It is the development of damage (like blockages) to the heart and blood vessels as well as the resulting more serious conditions like heart attacks and strokes. Genetic factors and lifestyle choices like smoking, unhealthy diets, and a lack of exercise cause heart disease. And if heart disease were a country, India would be its capital.

A 2019 report by the Indian Council of Medical Research estimated that approximately 54.5 million people in India are affected by some form of CVD. When compared to Western countries, Indians are at risk of developing CVD a whole decade earlier. What is to blame? Many things, including a high-sugar diet, a sedentary lifestyle, genes, and of course, our topic of discussion – chronic stress.

Stress & Heart Disease: The Connection

One of the major contributors to heart disease is stress. Chronic stress, which is a rollercoaster of stress levels in the body for days and weeks at a time, can seriously impact the heart. Often overlooked, chronic stress is like having a conniving puppet master tugging at our heartstrings in several heart disease-causing ways. For those who already have heart conditions, even acute stress can trigger a severe reaction like a sudden plaque (those nasty things that block blood flow) rupture, which can cause heart failure.

Stress & Heart Disease: What Makes Us Tick?

So how does chronic stress puppeteer our cardiovascular system? To understand this, we must look at our hormones. One of the main culprits is adrenaline. This hormone is released when we feel threatened to help us prepare for fight or flight.  Although adrenaline has an important evolutionary function in keeping us safe and focused when we are in danger, nowadays, our brains can misinterpret even non-fatal day-to-day occurrences as dangerous. Another relevant hormone is cortisol. After adrenaline makes its entrance, cue cortisol to help us remain alert and increase blood sugar in case we need energy to spring into action.

Stress & Heart Disease: The Heart-Aching Consequences

These hormones are there to protect us, but if they overstay their welcome, they can be more harmful than helpful for the cardiovascular system. Every time we are stressed inflammation increases, damaging blood vessels and increasing the chance of plaque formation. Besides this, we also risk an uncomfortably fast heartbeat, higher blood pressure, increased blood sugar, higher cholesterol, and unhealthy fats. With chronic stress prolonging these symptoms – irregular heartbeats, chest pains, shortened breaths, and eventually heart attacks and strokes could follow.

A 2020 study in the Cureus Journal revealed a clear link between stress because of traumatic life events and the risk of heart disease. Researchers also found a 40-60% association between birth defects in the heart and chronic stress in mothers. Even in cases of everyday stress, studies have shown that individuals who experience greater anxiety about job loss are almost 20 percent more likely to develop heart disease.

Managing Stress: Protect Your Heart

To keep our hearts beating strong, we need to manage our stress levels and welcome more balance into our lives. Once we identify the things that add excess stress to our lives, we can tackle them in a way that works for us. This could be a healthy diet of anti-inflammatory foods like fruits and vegetables, regular exercises like yoga or running, sufficient sleep, avoiding caffeine and substance abuse, and practising mindfulness techniques like spending time in nature, meditation, and journaling.

Incorporating these practices into our daily routines can make stress easier to deal with and reduce the risk of heart disease. Our mental health will be better for it (Not today, anxiety!) and we won’t have to rely on unhealthy coping mechanisms. Relieving stress in the short and long terms can help us have a heart as strong as a horse.

Boosting Heart Health: Adding Reinforcements

If you struggle to achieve calm, especially during a particularly difficult phase of life, there is absolutely no shame in getting some support. For stress and anxiety that does not seem to go away no matter how much you eat right or meditate, stress-relieving products may do the trick. At three60, the De-Stress & Chill gummies are formulated with clinically proven ingredients that pack a stress-busting punch. The Ashwagandha extract balances cortisol levels, while the lavender and saffron target inflammation with powerful antioxidants. Just 2 gummies every day can relieve stress within 30 minutes.

Apart from stress-relieving gummies, there are other natural products like CBD oils, herbal blends, teas, and more that can be incredibly beneficial to reducing stress. With the help of a physician, finding the right anti-stress cocktail can help you live the life you deserve.

Conclusion: Health is Where the Heart is

In today’s fast-paced world, stress waits around every corner. If we allow stress to pile up, our physical and mental health could pay the price. While we hustle to achieve our dreams, we must remember that it is important to slow down and de-stress every once in a while. Your heart will thank you for it, and the people around you probably will too. So, choose a low-stress life with the right lifestyle practices and wear your heart on your sleeve without fear of a high risk of heart disease. Cheers to World Heart Day!

(A marketing initiative by Open Avenues)

About The Author

Dr. Kriti Soni

Dr. Kriti Soni is a pharmaceutical scientist specialising in developing drug delivery systems and natural products