Here's how you can manage your stress and keep cardiovascular diseases at bay

Excess stress hormones directly impact the cardiovascular system, causing elevated heart rate and high blood pressure. They also interact with blood glucose levels and produce transitory blood thickening. 

Here how you can manage your stress and keep cardiovascular diseases at bay RBA

Stress is an integral part of life irrespective of whether it is taken willfully or involuntarily. In general, there are two types of stress: physical and mental. Both types lead to the secretion of stress hormones or the flight or fight hormones. These hormones are anxiety-related and are secreted in abundance when the body is stressed.

Excessive levels of stress hormones directly affect the cardiovascular system and cause increased heart rate and high blood pressure. They also interfere with blood glucose and cause transient thickening of the blood. 

In repetitive or persistent stress (chronic stress), the worsening of the blood pressure and blood sugar levels is long-staying or constant. Moreover, as a coping mechanism to relieve stress, people may also experience stress eating, which may lead to or worsen the existing conditions of high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, and high cholesterols.

Here how you can manage your stress and keep cardiovascular diseases at bay RBA

It may also lead to undesired weight gain and cause snoring and joint-related problems. In physical stress, although there is secretion of stress hormones, physical activity helps burn calories and aids in better stress management. 

However, if physical stress persists for a long duration, or when the body is subjected to constant unaccustomed physical stress, it may prove disastrous to the body in several ways, particularly to the heart system. Strenuous activities or heavy weight-bearing actions can trigger sudden release of the stress hormone, leading to irregular heart rhythm and clotting in the blood that may lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death. 

Here how you can manage your stress and keep cardiovascular diseases at bay RBA

It is important to acknowledge that stress is part of life, and we cannot eliminate it, but we can learn to control it. Practicing stress-relieving techniques can help reduce physical and mental stress significantly. If need be, it is important to seek professional help to learn how to manage stress.  


(This article is authored by Dr. Sunil Dwivedi, Consultant – Cardiology, Manipal Hospital Millers Road, Bengaluru)

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