Heart disease is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States. Many different factors can increase your risk of the disease, including your emotions.
That’s right—when you’re feeling angry or sad, your emotions take a toll on your literal heart as well as your metaphorical one. In recent years, researchers have uncovered many connections between our physical health and our emotional/mental health.
While it’s pretty much impossible to remove emotions from the equation entirely, understanding how your emotions can impact your heart health can help you take steps to manage them. Keep reading to learn more.
Let’s Get Emotional
If you’ve ever seen a list of tips related to protecting your heart health, you probably saw items such as “exercise regularly” and “eat a diet filled with fruits and vegetables.” Further down the list, you may also have seen another item—find healthy ways to manage stress.
Why is stress mentioned in the same breath with exercise and a healthy diet? Because taking steps to help your body handle emotions like stress is one key way you can lower your risk of heart disease.
Stress is a complex emotion. A small amount of stress, such as what you feel when you’re preparing for a test or a work presentation, can help motivate you to get things done.
Chronic stress, or stress that’s not properly managed, however, can be harmful for your health. It puts the body in a constant fight-or-flight mode, which floods the body with stress hormones. Those stress hormones, including cortisol, can increase your blood pressure, make your heart beat faster, and damage the heart.
Other negative emotions can also impact your heart health. Experiencing the sadness and malaise associated with depression puts you at a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease. One study found that those who have depression are at a 64 percent higher risk of developing coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease.
Anger is also tied to an increased risk. A study published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that recurring anger limits blood vessels’ ability to open properly. That’s because anger, like stress, increases blood pressure. As blood hits the blood vessel walls forcefully, they become damaged over time.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Heart
Since you can’t totally shut down your emotions, what can you do to protect your heart from those emotions? These steps can help you tame your emotions and lower your risk of heart disease:
Find healthy ways to manage stress. Yes, we’re repeating the tip we mentioned earlier! This is an important one, because too often we turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms when we’re feeling upset, sad, or angry. Instead of hitting up the drive-thru for salty fast food or lighting up a cigarette, lean into healthier habits that can help you cope. This can include exercising, meditating, praying, doing a hobby, or spending time with friends.
Remember that you don’t have to do it all all at once. Break your tasks, responsibilities, and ordinary daily routine into small chunks and take them one by one. It’s incredibly easy to become overwhelmed by life when we’re trying to handle it in a “big picture” fashion. Choose an approach that works for you—either handle your big priorities first or knock out small tasks to conquer them and move on.
Reach out for help when needed. Sometimes emotions are more than emotions. Sometimes they are indicators of mental health challenges. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t feel like you have to go through it alone. Talk with your primary care provider about what you’re experiencing, and he or she can refer you to a mental health specialist or provide you with treatment options.
Commit to moving your body often. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week to promote optimal health. Moving your body gives your physical health a boost, but it can also help you handle your emotions more efficiently. Don’t stress over the type of exercise, either. Anything that gets your heart pumping faster works, so take a brisk walk, go swimming, dance around your living room, or weed the garden.
Uncover your triggers and try to avoid them. This is easier said than done, but take note of the underlying cause the next time you find yourself angry or stressed. If it’s possible, do what you can to avoid those triggers. If you can’t avoid them, learn to cushion them with the habits outlined above.
Other healthy lifestyle habits, such as eating a balanced diet, can also help you cope with emotions and mental health challenges. Certain foods, including berries, leafy greens, citrus fruits, lentils, and even dark chocolate can help the body better handle stress and other emotions.
When your heart’s at stake, you can have peace of mind in knowing that the team of cardiovascular experts at West Tennessee Healthcare Heart and Vascular is here to help. Find a provider here, or call (731) 541-2273 to learn more.
