De-Stressed Is Best

According to the American Heart Association, there is growing evidence that stress contributes to heart disease, although exactly how remains unclear. If you already have heart disease, such as congestive heart failure, stress can make the condition worse. So it's important to understand how stress affects your heart and what you can do to avoid it.

Stress takes its toll

When you react to a stressful situation, stress hormones are released into your bloodstream and your heart rate and blood pressure increase. This increases the demand on the cardiovascular system, particularly on the heart. For people with heart disease, their heart may not be able to keep up with this increased demand, leading to irregular heart rhythms, chest pain (angina) or even heart attack.

Unplug the stress

Some activities can help you better manage stress, such as regular exercise. Here are other stress relievers:

• Get a full night's sleep.

• Talk it out. Tell close friends or family members about the things that cause you concern.

• Do relaxation exercises throughout the day, such as taking 10 to 15 seconds every hour to breathe deeply from your diaphragm.

• Try yoga or meditation.

• Make time every day to do things you enjoy.

• Learn to set limits and say no.

• Take a stress-management class.

If you feel overwhelmed, seek help from your doctor or a mental health professional.