How Stress Affects Your Heart Health

This article is medically reviewed by Dr Valery Feigin | Professor of Neurology & Epidemiology and Director of NISAN (National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences), Auckland University of Technology

Do you work a high-stress job where much is demanded of you? Or perhaps undergoing some kind of major life event? Being under stress can cause your blood pressure to increase temporarily due to an elevated heart rate and the contraction of blood vessels. Different types of stress can cause different complications relating to your heart health. Find out how the type of stress you may be facing can affect your heart.

What is high blood pressure?

Blood pressure is measured in the amount of force pushing on arteries from the blood that is travelling inside. High blood pressure, or Hypertension, is when the force acting on the arteries from your blood is consistently high, meaning that the heart has to work double time to circulate blood around your body. A reading of 130/80mmHg or higher is generally considered high blood pressure.

Anger-Related Stress

A Harvard Medical School research found that two hours after an angry outburst, the risk of chest pain, heart attack, stroke and risky heart rhythm are increased.

Laura Kubzansky, PhD, MPH, of Harvard School of Public Health said in an article that high levels of anger is the issue. The same article mentioned that people who were often angry and hostile had a 19% higher chance to get heart disease.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress sufferers can be more at risk of hypertension due to prolonged exposure to adrenaline and cortisol, hormones the body releases when it is distressed. These hormones increase your heart rate and blood pressure temporarily and then go away once the body determines there is no longer a threat. However in people with chronic stress, the body is constantly under the impression that it is in danger, the body continues to produce these stress hormones even after the danger has passed leading to a high risk of hypertension and heart disease.

Broken Heart Syndrome

Have you heard the popular phrase “I might just die from a broken heart.” This references the physical chest pain commonly associated with heartbreak, but this condition can be caused by just about any other negative life event.

Broken Heart Syndrome or Stress Cardiomyopathy is a condition where the blood vessels in the heart contract causing reduced blood flow in the heart, leading to chest pain, high blood pressure and other symptoms.

This condition is temporary, with most people recovering within a few days to weeks and do not experience lasting effects.
 

Ways To Reduce Stress

A healthline article on stress-relieving methods shares 16 ways to reduce stress, some of which include:

• Getting more physical activity, a study cited by the article found that 2 days per week of aerobic exercise significantly reduced stress.
• Eating a balanced diet, eating more vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, nuts and seeds can improve your ability to handle stress.
• Practicing self-care (meditation), this has been found to lower stress levels and improve quality of life in people who engage in it.

Why home monitoring for blood pressure is important if you are frequently experiencing stress

Several studies found that home blood pressure is more reliable than office blood pressure in predicting future stroke and heart attack. An OMRON internal study conducted in 2022 over a period of one year has found that regular home blood pressure monitoring can help to reduce blood pressure readings by 10mmHg, which translates to a reduction in stroke risk by 54%. Home monitoring can not only help with early intervention for stroke and other heart related diseases, but also help encourage better lifestyle habits.