Unfortunately, phrases such as “consumed by stress,” or “drowning in stress” seem to be commonplace now. Though deadlines at work and the usual worries of life can’t be controlled, the levels of stress they cause can.
Allowing this stress to fester can lead to unhealthy levels of eating, avoidance of exercise and, ultimately, heart concerns. Learning to clear the head of stress is not only important to mental well-being, but to physical health as well.
In a 2015 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research, which examined stress and methods for alleviating and understanding stressful situations, stress was classified as a global health concern that leads to further mental complications along with physical problems, one being coronary heart diseases.
Dr. David Sabgir – a cardiologist at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s Hospital, a New Albany resident and founder of Walk with a Doc – says there are three ways stress can affect the heart.
“The first is probably the biggest. … For example, high blood pressure, cholesterol. Many tend to go towards comfort food and doing what they can to cope with stress.”
The other two conditions are less common and deal with elevated levels of cortisol, the body’s natural steroids, causing high blood pressure. The third is the “broken heart syndrome,” Sabgir says, which is a result of severe emotional loss.
Because conditions such as high blood pressure and bad cholesterol are “silent killers,” as there are few or no warning signs or symptoms, it’s critical to maintain a healthy diet. Sabgir recommends going to the grocery store with a mission to buy mostly fruits and vegetables and trying to avoid unhealthful snacks such as chips, cookies and candy.
As for combating stress mentally and physically, proven techniques exist.
The primary focus of the 2015 meta-analysis examined the effects of mindful-based stress reduction (MBSR), which teaches individuals to observe stressful situations with less judgmental emotion and more cognition. With this mindset, the Center for Mindfulness Studies reports that participants will learn skills to identify stressful triggers to address them adequately.
The analysis also stresses that MBSR could help reduce stress, distress, anxiety and depression for any participant. There are no criteria for needing a clinical mental health disorder for MBSR to be effective.
When paired with physical workouts such as yoga and meditation, MBSR can be even more successful. Sabgir says these calming practices are highly beneficial because they lower one’s heart rate and build resilience for everyday stress.
“Meditation is huge (in reducing stress) and very effective,” he says. “There are a lot of people getting significant benefits … from practicing meditation.”
Sabgir also recommends using apps such as Calm or Headspace: Meditation to learn proper focus and breathing techniques. When it comes to continually using technology, though, he says putting down the cell phone and being present in the moment may also have ties to lowering stress.
Meditation is huge (in reducing stress) and very effective. There are a lot of people getting significant benefits … from practicing meditation.
“The literature is emerging, but I really think (phones) are creating a lot of stress and anxiety,” he says. “Doing more to connect with being present is important because a lot of stress comes from when we’re trying to do something else. … You’re at a much happier level than when you’re trying to do two things, even if they’re both fun.”
Sabgir says he understands that people now need their phones for everyday life. So doing small things such as setting the phone down for a few hours or changing the screen to grayscale, a setting that takes away the color and can help make specific apps like Snapchat and Instagram seem less appealing, are tips for combating phone addiction.
Another exercise that most people can do without much phone-app-guidance is walking. As the founder of Walk with a Doc, Sabgir knows firsthand the benefits of walking, and says it’s the easiest way to exercise.
“Physical activity is probably the best thing you can do,” Sabgir says, in terms of maintaining stress and a healthy heart. “Walking is the most accessible (exercise), and the exercise people maintain the longest.”
He also references the book The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, saying walking or just being outside can have significant benefits. Spending just five hours outside every month can help lower the body’s cortisol levels, which becomes elevated when stressed.
Physical activity is probably the best thing you can do. Walking is the most accessible (exercise), and the exercise people maintain the longest
Taking a deep breath and implementing the mental exercises and teachings of MBSR into a lifestyle of physical workouts along with a wholesome diet, the weight of stress will probably lift over time. And because 80 percent of all heart conditions are preventable, Sabgir says, taking certain proven steps will improve the ticker.
“There are four steps, and it’s really simple. 150 minutes, ideally, of physical activity a week is almost miraculous at what it can do for us, eating five fruits and vegetables a day, … maintaining a proper weight and not smoking,” he says. “There are less than 1 percent of the public doing all four of those, but if you do all four, you’re really doing yourself an incredible service.”
Lydia Freudenberg is a contributing editor. Feedback welcome at adeperro@cityscenemediagroup.com.
