The link between emotions and heart health
Emotions such as happiness are associated with a number of benefits, including longer life expectancy and a happy marriage, says Dr Tanmay Kulkarni, Consultant Cardiologist at Jupiter Hospital, Pune, India. On the other hand, sadness is associated with a number of negative health effects and relationship difficulties.
Stress, anxiety, depression and loneliness are linked to poor immunity, higher inflammation and shorter lifespans, the doctor added.
A study published in the journal In Vivo found that negative emotions such as anger, depression and anxiety can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes and obesity.
Additionally, people with cardiovascular disease often have difficulty regulating emotions, whereas positive emotions can have beneficial health effects.
Can stress increase your risk of heart disease?
Chronic or long-term stress can increase the body's inflammatory response, which in turn promotes plaque buildup in the arteries and can lead to problems like coronary heart disease. Coronary artery disease can cause heart attacks, irregular heartbeats, and heart failure. Chronic stress can cause chest discomfort, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Stress can influence dangerous habits such as smoking, overeating, drinking too much alcohol and being sedentary, all of which are risk factors for chronic heart disease, says Dr. Tanmay Kulkarni.
To control stress, you should practice mindfulness and meditation, which are known to help control high blood pressure and manage sleep.
Expert-Recommended Coping Strategies to Manage Emotions for Heart Health
There are many ways to control emotions, including both healthy and unhealthy methods. Many people have the habit of dealing with stress by smoking, overeating. All of these unhealthy habits, including negative emotions, affect cardiovascular health.
Instead, we can use the following methods of emotional control and heart health to help better protect ourselves against heart disease:
- Physical activity.
- Take a deep breath.
- Rest when your body feels tired.
- Meet friends often.
