In the popular community, the typical image of someone who, extremely stressed, ends up suffering from all kinds of medical conditions, such as hair loss, gastrointestinal problems and also a heart attack, is very well established.
Although the relationship between stressful situations and heart problems has always been something that has been taken for granted, it has not been until relatively recently that stress has been incorporated as a risk factor for suffering from cardiac pathologies.
In this article We will see how stress affects the heart explaining the importance of the phases of evolution of a stressful response in addition to commenting on some strategies to achieve a healthier heart.
Stress is an emotion that is present in everyone at some point in their lives. Like any emotion, this implies a series of consequences depending on its degree of appearance, intensity and type.
One of the most popular definitions of stress is that it is a fight or flight reaction to a threatening situation, although this is not entirely correct. Today, we understand stress as that physiological, psychological and behavioral response that a subject carries out to adjust and adapt to pressures both internal and external, to which it has been subjected.
These pressures can be truly threatening and involve a negative response in both the individual’s mind and body (distress). However, stress can also appear in a context that is beneficial to health, such as performing a high-intensity sport (eustress).
As already mentioned, stress involves a physiological response, which It can be observed by seeing the hormonal changes that the individual presents The organism puts itself on guard and prepares to face a situation that it must overcome to guarantee its survival. A whole series of changes occur at the circulatory level. The levels of glucose, red blood cells, leukocytes and platelets in the bloodstream rise.
The body focuses its energies on the brain, heart and muscles, to the detriment of the rest of the organs. Heart rate increases, muscles contract By increasing the strength of the individual for a short period of time, breathing accelerates, the coronary vessels and also the skeletal muscles dilate while the vessels related to the digestive system contract. The bladder relaxes, the rectum contracts, the pupils dilate and the body begins to sweat.
Although stress has been linked to heart problems since time immemorial, it was not until relatively recently that stress was included as a factor that enhances cardiovascular diseases. Cardiopsychology is the branch of health sciences that is responsible for defining the relationship between psychosocial factors with the onset and rehabilitation of heart diseases.
People who are more susceptible to displaying this emotion more frequently are also more likely to display cardiovascular problems, such as cerebral ischemia or stroke, angina pectoris and heart attack
Blood pressure shoots up and malignant arrhythmias occur. There is a greater risk of thrombus occurring, since platelets in the blood increase and greater clotting occurs. In turn, insulin efficacy decreases and low-density lipoprotein levels also decrease, which is popularly known as good cholesterol. The blood becomes thicker and the arteries lose elasticity, harmful substances accumulating on their walls and making it difficult for blood to pass through.
The sympathetic nervous system, if kept active for a long time, begins to work inefficiently This causes problems with electrical conduction to the heart, contributing to it beating irregularly (arrhythmia). In the most serious cases, the arrhythmia can transform into sudden stop of the heart, which would cause the death of the individual.
Importance of stress phases
As already mentioned, not all stress is bad. On the contrary, it is a response that guarantees the survival of the individual if it occurs in the appropriate situation and at levels that imply high functioning for the individual.
The problem comes when the body manifests this response for too long or with too high an intensity in the face of a threat that, perhaps, is not that big of a deal.
That is why, to understand a little more in depth the difference between healthy stress and distress, we present the phases of this process, relating them to cardiovascular health.
1. First phase: alarm
The alarm is the first phase that occurs in response to a stressful event. It is here that the individual decides to choose one of the following two strategies: fight or flight.
This phase involves high energy consumption and is key for the individual to adapt to the new situation.
If the alarm phase is passed appropriately, automatically goes into the recovery phase, inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic predominating, which restores the balance prior to the appearance of the stressful stimulus.
2. Second phase: resistance
If the first phase has not been successfully overcome or recovery has not occurred, the resistance phase is entered.
The individual continues to be active and focuses his forces to face the threatening situation, which causes the energy reserves to be progressively depleted. On the other hand, The neuroendocrine system is under intense activity causing it to end up becoming ineffective until it fails.
The reasons why stress manifests itself ineffectively may be related to being exposed to a very intense acute or chronic stressor.
It may also be due to the individual themselves, who has a personality disorder, does not have efficient resources to cope with stress or has an organic disease that influences the neuroendocrine system.
3. Third phase: exhaustion
At this point, where the body has been under a lot of pressure, stress becomes a health problem contributing to the appearance of both physical and psychological pathology.
How to prevent the effects of stress on the heart?
One of the fundamental factors for having a good quality of life is having low levels of stress, in addition to having the necessary resources to know how to deal in a healthy way with situations that involve some change or are threatening. Below you can see some strategies that help reduce the harmful effects of stress on cardiovascular health.
1. Physical exercise
Sedentary people are more likely to suffer heart problems. This is not only because not exercising frequently implies health problems in itself, but also because people who do not exercise frequently tend to feel more moody and irascible.
Thus, their cardiovascular risk is double, given that they can develop medical conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure or hypercholesterolemia, implying greater pressure on the heart.
It is advisable to perform exercises in which large muscle groups are involved for long periods of time, such as swimming, cycling or aerobics.
2. Food
Another fundamental key to having good cardiovascular health is to control what you eat.
A balanced diet with appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, healthy fats, proteins, trace elements and vitamins promotes the correct functioning of the cardiovascular system, in addition to providing good emotional stability.
Fats and sugars can contribute to a bad mood, and therefore tend to be stressed. Foods containing these nutrients should be consumed in moderation. The consumption of caffeinated beverages should also be reduced, especially cola and coffee, as well as alcoholic beverages and tobacco, given that their components enhance the appearance of stress.
It should be said that not all caffeinated drinks are potentially stressful, since green tea promotes the positive regulation of stress hormones.
3. Sleep well
Those who sleep poorly are in a bad mood the next day and, of course, are more likely to go on the attack at the slightest. You should try to sleep at least seven hours a day, since sleep helps renew cells.
Not sleeping can cause the individual to become immersed in a cycle that feeds on itself as he becomes increasingly stressed and, in turn, the stress causes insomnia.
4. Meditation
Techniques such as pilates, yoga, tai chi or simple controlled breathing can have great benefits in reducing stress, calming not only the mind but also the heart.
With this type of techniques the heart rate is reduced, reducing the risk of suffering heart problems such as heart attacks or irregular heartbeats. Blood pressure decreases, circulation and the immune system improve.
5. Professional help
If you have serious problems controlling stress and are already noticing symptoms of a possible heart problem, seeking professional help never hurts.
The doctor will ensure whether or not there is a risk of suffering from heart disease, while going to the psychologist will help to acquire strategies to adequately cope with situations that cause stress.
In the event that excessive stress is manifested because the person is very irascible, it is highly recommended to attend anger control courses.
