Dr Sudipta Mohanty: Stress and Its Impact on Heart Health
Stress often manifests as an unseen storm, with the potential to disrupt the body’s systems, including the cardiovascular system. Like a tempest that stirs up the sea, stress triggers a series of responses that can wear down the heart over time. For Dr Sudipta Mohanty, uncovering the link between stress and heart health is crucial to understanding how to navigate this force.
Stress: A Silent Tide Against the Heart
When stress occurs, the body releases adrenaline, a hormone that temporarily affects the cardiovascular system by increasing the heart rate and raising blood pressure.
While this ‘fight or flight’ response is vital for survival in acute situations, repeated activation due to chronic stress can lead to detrimental heart health effects. Over time, the persistent tide of stress can contribute to inflammation and changes in blood vessels and the heart, which can lead to heart disease.
The High-Pressure Front: Stress and Hypertension
Consistent high levels of stress can be a contributing factor to hypertension, a notorious risk factor for heart disease. Dr Sudipta Mohanty The link between stress and high blood pressure is a cyclical one, with each condition capable of exacerbating the other, leading to increased strain on the cardiovascular system.
Keeping stress levels in check is crucial to maintaining a smooth and consistent flow of life’s pressures, akin to the steady, untroubled currents that influence the heart’s health.
Emotional Weather Patterns: Anxiety, Depression, and Heart Health
Beyond physical reactions, stress also affects the heart through emotional channels such as anxiety and depression. These emotional states can influence heart health through indirect pathways, such as unhealthy stress responses, including overeating, smoking, or lack of physical activity. They may also lead directly to heart problems due to hormonal imbalances and other physiological changes.
Strategies for Calming the Internal Seas
Lastly, practices such as mindfulness, exercise, relaxation techniques, and strong social support networks can operate as anchors, keeping the heart steady amidst life’s tumultuous waves. Dr Sudipta Mohanty Regular exercise, in particular, helps in mediating the body’s stress response and strengthening the heart muscle, acting as both a buffer and armor.