This weekend an interesting study was released at the American College of Cardiology conference in Chicago. Researchers studied the link between stress and heart attack and what they found was pretty amazing: people who cut their stress levels (and keep them low) have a 60% less chance of suffering a heart attack or stroke than `constant worriers’.
The study followed 516 heart patients over a three- to four-year period. The heart conditions included irregular heartbeat, atherosclerosis (hardened arteries) and atherothrombosis (blood accumulation that leads to clotting). The individuals were then divided into groups based on level of anxiety: high, intermediate and low. To group people by stress level, the researchers looked at feelings, moods, sleep patterns, irregularity in bowel/stomach functions and other stress markers.
In addition to the 60% less chance of suffering heart attach or stroke, the study findings show that constant stress and anxiety can affect the rhythm of the heartbeat, which can heighten the risk of heart disease. These results are a follow-up to a study presented at last year’s meeting, which showed that people with heart conditions with permanent anxiety have a twice greater chance of suffering a heart attack or to die compared to those who are considered calm.
So what do these findings mean for us? Well, aside from the fact that it’s much nicer to live with less stress, it’s also important for our health. In fact, our monthly Book Club selection – Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, by Dr. Christiane Northrup – discusses the health effects of stress – just to name a few: immune system problems, fighting cancer and maintaining weight.
Stress relief techniques vary, but some techniques experts advocate include regular exercise, making time for ourselves to relax, breathing exercises, meditation or getting a massage. For many, taking a break from our daily activities and taking a walk is a simple technique that works. For others, stress relief needs to be more formal, such as meditating in a quiet room. If you need help relieving stress, you can always consult a physician or even a personal trainer for advice.
Kerry
