Sister to Sister

• Printer-friendly version
• Email this page

Researchers believe that there may be a relationship between the risk of a heart disease and environmental factors, such as stress. We don’t know if stress is an independent risk factor or if it contributes to other problems, such as overeating, smoking, physical inactivity, or high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. However, we do know that people who have a lot of daily mental stress have twice as high a risk of a heart attack.

Even if you’re under a lot of day-to-day pressure, there are ways to reduce your stress and put less strain on your heart. After you get the facts on stress, you can learn how to use them to get heart healthy.

What is stress?

Stress is the mental tension and physical condition caused by the way we react to physical, chemical, emotional or environmental factors. Everyone feels stress, but in different ways and in different amounts.

Women report experiencing higher levels of stress than men and are less likely to think they manage stress well enough. Stress can lead women to overeat, become inactive, drink alcohol, or smoke. All these behaviors are directly related to risk factors for heart disease.

What are the benefits of managing stress?

You will find that as you manage your stress, you will

• Sleep better
• Control your weight.
• Lessen neck and back pain.
• Get along better with family and friends.
• Concentrate better.
• Feel happier.

How can you tell if you’re under stress?

This checklist of stress symptoms can help you determine whether you’re under stress.

• Feeling of being overwhelmed.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Feeling short-tempered.
• Exhaustion.
• Loss of appetite or increased appetite.
• Headaches.
• Sleep problems.
• Depression and anxiety.

How can you recognize what causes your stress?

If you know what situations make you feel stressed, it may be possible for you to make changes to reduce that stress – for example, by avoiding situations or people that put too much pressure on you. Below is a list of common stress sources. How many apply to you?

• Money, personal financial problems.
• Relationships.
• Family responsibilities.
• Health problems affecting you.
• Health problems affecting a member of your family.
• Work pressures or job security.

What else can you do to reduce stress?

It’s important to manage your stress, but it’s not always easy! As you work on reducing your stress, Sister to Sister is here to support you. Meet other women with the same concerns in our online community or learn how to manage your stress with our 7 Steps to Less Stress.

As you work on reducing your stress, be sure to stay in tune with the rest of your body and stay heart healthy!

• Get screened. Find out what heart disease risk factors you may have and learn how you can control them. Get screened and learn how to use the results to stay healthy.
• Build your support system. Being connected to other people helps women manage their stress. Surround yourself with people who help to lift your spirits and keep you positively focused. You can also find support in the Sister to Sister online community.
• Eat heart healthy foods. Knowing that stress can lead to poor eating habits can motivate you to stay on top of your diet by planning healthy meals and snacks. This won’t just help reduce your physical reaction to stress – it will also help your heart! Learn how good nutrition can help you reduce your blood pressure.
• Get moving. Activity is a wonderful way to get rid of some of your physical tension. Find something that makes you smile and have some fun! There are plenty of easy ways to incorporate physical activity into your day – let us help you get active.
• Stop smoking. Smoking may seem like a way to relieve stress, but in reality, you’re only adding more stress to your body, especially your heart. Take steps to quit smoking and quickly begin to improve your health.