Ways stress can affect your heart

Stress is part of everyday life -- from work deadlines to family responsibilities. But it doesn’t just affect your mood. According to cardiologists at Hartford HealthCare, chronic stress has real physiological effects on the cardiovascular system and can contribute to long term heart problems if not managed well. (Source: Photo by unsplash)

Stress Encourages Unhealthy Habits: Stress can make you more likely to reach for comfort such as overeating, smoking, or drinking alcohol. These behaviours contribute to obesity, high cholesterol, and other risk factors that further strain your heart over time. (Source: Photo by unsplash)

Stress Raises your Blood Pressure: When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones that temporarily elevate your blood pressure. Over time, repeated spikes from chronic stress can place extra strain on your heart and arteries, making them work harder and increasing cardiovascular risk. (Source: Photo by unsplash)

Stress can cause Heart Rhythm Disturbances: Persistent stress doesn’t just raise blood pressure, it can also contribute to irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias), which may lead to palpitations or exacerbate existing heart conditions. (Source: Photo by unsplash)

Stress Triggers Hormonal Changes: When stressed, your body releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure and when they remain elevated over time, they can negatively impact cardiovascular health and metabolic balance. (Source: Photo by unsplash)

Stress Increases Inflammation: Beyond tension and worry, stress triggers inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can accelerate the build up of plaque in arteries, a major contributor to atherosclerosis and heart disease. (Source: Photo by unsplash)

Stress Interferes Sleep: High stress often leads to poor sleep tossing and turning, difficulty falling asleep, or waking up at night. Poor sleep affects heart health by raising blood pressure, disrupting heart rhythm, and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. (Source: Photo by unsplash)