8 simple tips you can do today to manage your stress levels

8 simple tips you can do today to manage your stress levels

If you've been slammed at work, eating the wrong foods at your desk, and trying to figure out where the next window of opportunity for your next workout session is coming from, then you probably didn't realize that April is "Stress Awareness Month."

Luckily, you don't have to stress yourself out because you missed the memo, because taking care of your stress levels is something you can work on all year long. Our hearts are essential to longevity and achieving peak performance. Short-term energy levels and long-term health outcomes depend on us taking care of our ticker.

So,M&Fspoke to Dr. Steven Kesten, MDFCCP, to find out how we can reduce stress and add some beats.

How is stress related to heart health?

“Clinical studies show that psychological stress may be important in predicting poor cardiovascular outcomes,” says Kesten, who is also chief medical officer of CONNEQT Health. “In fact, psychological stress is more likely to cause heart attacks, strokes and other heart problems than physical stress in people with coronary artery disease.”

Kesten explains that when psychological stress occurs, the brain's "fear center" known as the amygdala triggers a cascade of stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline, causing our hearts to beat faster and blood pressure to rise. While this is a natural and essential “fight or flight” response to danger, it is not healthy for those who are stressed frequently and for long periods of time. It can cause inflammation of the arteries, impair clotting, and damage blood vessels. These physical changes caused by psychological stress then lead to the risk of adverse cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. “Chronic stress can also increase inflammation in the body, which contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries,” adds Kesten.

How does stress lead us into a “toxic cycle”?

Stress can also lead to negative lifestyle behaviors as we try to fix our emotions through self-medication. “Many people self-medicate, and that can worsen their health,” says Kesten. "While drugs or alcohol are sometimes mistakenly viewed as temporary relief from stress, they tend to increase the overall effects of stress in the long term. Substance use and abuse can lead to addiction, financial problems, relationship problems and other psychosocial effects that increase stress. Drugs, smoking and alcohol can also increase your risk of heart disease, liver disease, lung disease and cancer. These diseases then further increase stress levels and plague a person with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression and addiction. It is a toxic Circulation.”

8 ways to manage your stress levels

Dr. Kesten says there are many ways to naturally relieve stress before picking up a prescription and shared some invaluable tips: