Chronic stress can cause heart trouble

By 91ÊÓƵ News

Daniel Allan/Photodisc, Getty Images
(Daniel Allan/Photodisc, Getty Images)

Sometimes stress can be useful. But constant stress can affect overall well-being and may even impact heart health.

When stress is short-lived, it can help with performance in meeting a major deadline, interviewing for a new job or achieving another goal. Stress and its impact on the body can also be lifesaving in the face of danger.

But long-term stress induced by work troubles, financial difficulties or family discord is a different story, said Dr. Ernesto L. Schiffrin, physician-in-chief at Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.

"Irritability, anxiety, depression, rumination and insomnia or waking up in the middle of the night with anguish" can result from chronic stress, he said.

Ongoing stress not only takes an emotional and psychological toll, it can produce physical symptoms. Those may include headaches, an upset stomach, tense and aching muscles, insomnia and low energy.

Heart disease is another potential stress-related problem.

Stress may lead to high blood pressure, which can pose a risk for heart attack and stroke. Stress also may contribute to such cardiovascular disease risks as smoking, overeating and lack of physical activity.

"Chronic stress has been shown to be associated with increased cardiovascular events," Schiffrin said. He pointed to a that used images of part of the brain involved with fear and stress and found links between stress and cardiovascular disease episodes. Brain activity was studied along with bone marrow activity and artery inflammation.

"These findings illustrate mechanisms through which emotional stressors can lead to cardiovascular disease in human beings," Schiffrin said.

Constant stress can impact creativity and productivity. For many people, the workplace is a source of stress.

About 2 in 3 employees say work is a significant source of stress, according to a recent report from the . Job stress can stem from long hours, physical strain, high demand or job insecurity.

Annual expenditures on work-related stress has been estimated at $190 billion, while the cost of poor mental health, including depression and anxiety, has been pegged at $211 billion annually. The estimates encompass lost productivity and work absenteeism.

To minimize continual stress, set priorities for what is most important to you and aim for a life-work balance, Schiffrin said.

Make time for friends, family and laughter. Ease stress and improve mood through physical activity. Regular exercise helps to lower blood pressure and combat other cardiovascular disease risk factors. Mindful meditation and deep breathing can help manage stress. Consider yoga, which combines movement, controlled breathing and relaxation.

Sleep and stress are interconnected. Stress can affect sleep, and lack of sleep can, in turn, lead to more stress. Seven to eight hours of sleep per night is ideal, Schiffrin said.

"Better sleep hygiene is critical in management of stress and promotion of heart health," he said.

Sleep in a cool, dark and quiet room; don't exercise close to bedtime; and avoid eating or drinking in the hours before bedtime, especially alcohol and foods high in fat or sugar, he said.

For unending stress or symptoms of depression, talk with a health care provider about getting help.

Attempting to see a "silver lining" and adopting a positive attitude toward life may help reduce stress, Schiffrin said.

"Adopting some degree of serenity in the face of life's challenges," he said, "may help improve the perception of stress and result in better quality of life and better cardiovascular health."

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].


91ÊÓƵ News Stories

91ÊÓƵ News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in 91ÊÓƵ News stories reflect the official position of the 91ÊÓƵ. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in 91ÊÓƵ scientific journals or presented at 91ÊÓƵ scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the 91ÊÓƵ’s official guidance, policies or positions.

Copyright is owned or held by the 91ÊÓƵ, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt from or reprint these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to 91ÊÓƵ News.

Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the 91ÊÓƵ’s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.