Silent Danger Revealed
We keep on hearing that stress is not good to our health, but most individuals believe that it only affects our mind. As a matter of fact, chronic stress might silently damage our heart even altering its beating. According to recent research, the process of long-term stress can indeed remodel the heart electrical system, putting the person at risk of arrhythmias, an abnormal heart rhythm that can be hazardous and even fatal.
The heart is not just a pump. It possesses its electrical system that determines its beat. The heart muscle is excited by tiny electric impulses transmitting the information when it should contract and relax. The efficient functioning of this system causes the heart to beat in a regular rhythmic manner. However, it is a fine balance that can be broken by chronic stress.
Adrenaline, and cortisol are the hormones that are released in our body when we are stressed. These are stress hormones, which are supposed to make us react to immediate threats by raising the heart rate and blood pressure levels. Several brief episodes of stress are most often natural and harmless. However, once the stress occurs constantly, in weeks, months or even years, these hormones are kept high, and they keep affecting the heart.
Chronic stress can alter the electrical wiring of the heart especially by altering the electrical conduction of the heart. Studies indicate that chronic high stress hormone levels may change the conduction of electrical impulses in heart cells. The heart can either get more excitable or have regions that block or delay signals. This interference with the electric conduction may result in arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and other irregular heartbeats.
Arrhythmias are very dangerous as they are frequently silent. You may occasionally have palpitations, dizziness or difficulty in breathing but occasionally there are no symptoms whatever. Nonetheless, arrhythmias may lead to the potential of stroke, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. That is why it is so significant to get to know the connection between chronic stress and heart beats.
Inflammation of the heart can also be brought about by chronic stress. The inflammation also interferes with the electrical system, hence a vicious cycle. The greater the intensity of stress the individual is, the higher are the chances that the changes will remain and deteriorate over time. Most chronic stress is accompanied by lifestyle elements including inadequate sleep, improper dieting, and exercise and increases the effects of stress on the heart.
But what do you do to take care of your heart? The first step is stress management. Such methods as breathing deeply, meditating, yoga or even spending a few minutes to relax every day can reduce the level of stress hormones and should restore the balance of the electrical system of the heart. It is also important to engage in exercise regularly- exercise makes the heart stronger, enhances circulation and decreases the incidence of arrhythmias.
The other significant step is to check your heart health. In case you are regularly getting palpitations, discomfort in the chest, and fainting, it is necessary to visit a doctor. Essential examinations such as an electrocardiogram (ECG) or a Holter monitor can reveal that your heart rhythm is still irregular at an early age before it becomes complicated.
Sleep and diet are also essential. Proper diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats improves the work of the heart, and sleep is necessary in order to stabilize stress hormones and give the body time to restore itself. Reduction in the use of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can also help minimize caffeine-induced stress-related arrhythmias.
Stress is not just another burden of your mind; it is a silent killer to your heart. Knowing that stress rewires the electrical system of the heart, we may take some preventive actions to stay safe. Simple yet effective/powerful ways to decrease the risk of dangerous arrhythmias are management of stress, activity, healthy dieting, and monitoring of heart health. The heart might be tough, yet it works better in a tranquilized and harmonized atmosphere. Don’t allow your heart to be taken unawares by stress it needs to be heeded, nurtured and given the attention it warrants.
