Why Managing Stress Is Vital for Heart Health

Chronic stress is the ­enemy of a healthy heart. It raises blood pressure and promotes systemic inflammation. It also leads to the overproduction of cortisol, a stress hormone that stimulates the body to store more visceral fat — a key feature of metabolic syndrome and a risk factor for CVD.

“Stress is probably a key root cause of heart disease in 95 percent of patients that I work with,” Bhojraj says.

“By its nature, stress is an adaptive response to help us,” he ­continues. “But it’s supposed to be brief exposures to stress, not chronic, long-term stress — which is what our modern lifestyles deliver. These normal, physiologic responses then start to have unintended conse­quences that really put our bodies out of balance.”

Social connection is a powerful stress reducer and proven supporter of heart health. Studies have shown that people with strong, supportive relationships are less likely to develop CVD and more likely to ­recover well after cardiac events.

So connect with your friends and family. Enjoy relaxed, convivial meals. “Loneliness is as toxic to the heart as smoking or obesity,” Guarneri says.

Dramatic actions like quitting a job or moving to another country may feel like the best way to break the stress cycle, but simple, daily practices are probably more effective. Breathwork, meditation, prayer, gentle movement, and time in nature have all been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping shift the body into rest-and-digest mode. Seek out ways to slow the pace of life.

Guarneri encourages patients to identify daily rituals that offer holistic support. “Ask yourself: What did I do today for my body, mind, emotions, and spirit?”

It could be meditation, yoga, journaling, or just sitting calmly with a cup of tea. Any quiet, peaceful activity that settles your mind can support your heart.