We all experience stress in our life whether it be related to personal or professional life. However, you should be aware of the fact that chronic and continuous stress can wreak havoc on your overall well-being while also affecting your heart health. If you’re exposed to stress for a longer period then you also have a higher risk of developing various heart diseases such as reduced blood flow, increased blood pressure, and irregular heart rate. This is why it becomes extremely essential for you to schedule an appointment with a cardiologist in Siliguri who can help you manage stress and save your heart from further damage.
Even if you have been diagnosed with acute stress, the good news is that stress can be managed effectively with various self-care strategies. Herein, you need to adopt certain lifestyle modifications to get possible mental health which is also associated with a reduced likelihood of life-threatening heart diseases. Remember that mitigating stress is not only related to mindfulness, life satisfaction, and happiness but also lower cholesterol, inflammation, and blood pressure. Adopt de-stressing strategies today and reduce the physical effects of stress on your heart.
Strategies To Mitigate Stress And Save Your Heart
- Laugh
Laughter is the best medicine”, it is quite common for you to already hear this phrase. However, did you know that laughing can actually be a great measure to get relief from stress? Yes! Laughing has been found an ideal way to reduce the production of stress hormones which can ultimately increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and mitigate inflammation in the heart.
If you practice laughing every day then you can start seeing various benefits which include improved mood, relaxed heart muscles, increased oxygen level, and enhanced immune system functioning. To feel good, you can consider watching a comedy movie and spending some quality time with your loved ones.
- Indulge in regular exercise
Another way to reduce stress is to indulge in regular physical activity. You must know that increasing your activity levels can have a significant role in reducing stress levels as exercise tends to decrease the production of cortisol hormones, which is the main stress hormone.
While exercising, your body also releases endorphins which help in generating feel-good chemicals throughout the body for an improved mood. For maximum benefits, you can choose a physical activity that you like doing since considering exercise as a chore may not have the same stress-reducing effects. Visit a reputed cardiologist hospital in Siliguri before starting an exercise regimen.
- Practice deep breathing
Relaxation exercises such as deep breathing can also work wonders in reducing stress. You must remember that stress takes a heavy toll on your physical and mental health and this is why deep breathing exercises are recommended as it is good for your mind and body. Some of the key benefits of deep breathing include a decrease in cortisol levels and an increase in oxygen flow.
You should also note that these exercises can also help you to maintain normal blood pressure levels. The most effective deep breathing techniques that you can practice for your heart health and stress are box breathing, lion’s breath, and belly breathing.
- Join yoga classes
In most cases, stress happens when you have constant thoughts running in your head and you’re not able to calm your mind. In these scenarios, the best thing to do is yoga as it not only strengthens your body and improves posture but can also calm your mind. Remember that joining yoga classes is not just beneficial for reducing stress but can also have various benefits for your heart.
Yoga can decrease the chances of developing serious heart diseases and can also contribute to reducing blood pressure. Some of the most effective yoga poses that are good for both stress and your heart health are chair, mountain, bridge, shoulder stand, big toe, and standing forward poses.
- Try hiking
Are you an adventurous soul who loves to explore new places? Then the best stress relieving technique for you is hiking. Spending time in nature has combined benefits of physical fitness and de-stress. While you’re exploring the new hiking trails, you can consider focusing on the beautiful world around you, the sound of nature, different textures and colours, and the mesmerizing landscapes.
This will help you to connect with nature and fill all your senses while reducing stress. So what are you waiting for? Leave the digital world behind and escape to the natural world to ensure long-term heart health.
- Listen to music
If you’re not a person to indulge in rigorous physical activities for reducing stress then you can simply consider listening to music. There are various genres of music that can be extremely advantageous in providing you with relaxation while reducing your heart rate and blood pressure.
Herein, to make yourself feel better and reduce stress, you can search for relaxation music which may include various sounds of nature such as birds singing, waves crashing, and thunderstorms. These natural sounds are great at reducing the cortisol levels in your body so that you can enjoy stable mental well-being.
- Be grateful
It is quite normal for you to feel demotivated and hopeless while experiencing acute stress. In these cases, it is recommended by cardiologists in Siliguri that you maintain a gratefulness journal. By maintaining this journal, you can consider noting down the things and people you’re grateful for.
This is a great way to ensure heart health and reduce stress as you will now feel more motivated and thankful about the beautiful life. The other benefits of this measure include improved sleeping patterns, enhanced immune system functioning, good mood, and lower cortisol levels. Remember that expressing thanks can also make your heart respond properly towards exertion.
- Maintain a journal
To reduce stress and maintain heart health, you can consider maintaining a journal. You must know that writing everything that comes into your mind can be a great way to reduce overthinking which is considered the main trigger for stress. Herein, in the journal, you can write about your day, all the good things that have happened, and your future plans.
When you write about your short and long-term goals, you will see yourself as less stressed with an increased level of motivation. You must know that this is also a great way to spend some time away from the screens which can also cause stress.
- Spend time with animals
You can also decrease the levels of stress hormones in your body by spending some cherishing time with animals. Herein, you can consider getting a dog or cat and pet them to enhance your mood and manage blood pressure levels.
It is found in certain studies that the oxytocin levels in the body can increase if you spend more time with friendly pet animals which play a significant role in making you feel good. To increase the effectiveness of this measure, you can also consider taking a walk with your dog or start playing which will ultimately contribute to improving your heart health.
- Get enough sleep
Another major triggering factor for acute stress is lack of sleep. This is why while managing stress for your heart health, you must consider getting enough sleep which will also contribute to reducing cortisol levels.
Herein, you must note that having high levels of cortisol can lead to weight gain which is considered the main enemy for your cardiovascular fitness. You can consider sleeping for around 7-8 hours of quality sleep in a day and take short naps to get in a good mood and reduce cortisol production.
As you can see, there are various ways through which you can mitigate stress in your daily life. Before adopting any de-stressing measure, you must always consider consulting a cardiologist in Siliguri as they are the experts who can help you develop a personalized plan. Remember that managing stress and improving your heart health is in your hands.
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