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– Chronic stress can have negative effects on mental and physical health, including heart problems, back pain, digestive issues, fatigue, depression, and trouble sleeping.– It is important to identify the of stress and determine what can be controlled and what cannot.– Meditation and deep breathing can help reduce stress and “reset” the body.– The human hormonal and nervous systems have not adapted well to modern life, leading to increased stress.– Managing stress through healthy daily habits such as sleep and exercise is crucial.– Extreme temperatures can also put extra stress on the heart and increase the risk of death.
As seen on Public News Service, it is Community Health Improvement Week, and one Utah family care physician wants people to use the time to think about the effects that stress may be having on their mental and physical health.
Dr. Christopher Valentine, Medical Director for Optum in Utah, said stress in the short term is an important response, a signal to the body that something isn’t right. But chronic stress, over time, can affect the heart and manifest itself in other ways – from back pain and digestive issues, to fatigue, depression, and trouble sleeping. He says the first step is recognizing the of the stress.
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“We have to identify which are the things that we have control over, and which are the things that we really don’t have control over?,” he said. “By really defining things into a couple of different buckets, and then looking and saying, ‘What are some things where I can take some steps in order to kind of resolve that issue?’”
He added meditation and deep breathing are often underutilized but can make a big difference. He suggests breathing in, counting to four, holding it for seven seconds, and finally releasing the breath over seven to eight seconds – and repeating that several times – can help “reset” the body under stress.
Valentine explained the human hormonal and nervous systems have not adapted well to modern life. When people deal with uncertainties at work or at home, or even with themselves, he said the body ramps up to fight what it senses is “an existential threat.” Over time, this can take a toll on the heart and brain. Valentine added other factors – like diet, exercise, and genetics – also come into play, but being able to manage stress is important. And that means cultivating healthy daily habits.
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“Speaking from personal experience, the best that I feel and I guess enhancement of my coping mechanisms in being able to deal with stress is most strongly correlated to sleep and exercise,” he continued.
The American Heart Association has also laid out three simple tips to manage stress. They are online at ‘heart.org.’
With summer heat already here, the American Heart Association wants people to remember that extreme temperatures can put extra stress on the heart and increase the risk of death.
This was the conclusion of an international study of over 32 million cardiovascular patients published in the journal “The Lancet Planetary Health.” The study found that exposure to extreme heat increased the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke.
The researchers analyzed data from 732 locations in 43 countries and found that each 1-degree Celsius increase in temperature above 25 degrees Celsius was associated with a 2.6% increase in mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
As seen on the American Heart Association, extreme heat can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, all of which can put extra stress on the heart. They recommend staying hydrated, avoiding prolonged exposure to heat, and seeking air-conditioned environments when possible.
It is important to take care of your mental and physical health by managing stress and being aware of the effects of extreme temperatures. By recognizing the s of stress and implementing healthy daily habits, such as meditation, deep breathing, sleep, and exercise, individuals can minimize the impact of stress on their To summarize it all well-being. Additionally, staying mindful of extreme heat and taking precautions to stay cool can help protect the heart and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
