Chronic stress is long-term, ongoing stress that persists over weeks, months, or even years. Unlike acute stress, which is short-lived and can be beneficial in certain situations, chronic stress continuously activates the body's stress response system, leading to harmful physiological effects.
How Chronic Stress Affects the Heart
Chronic stress contributes to heart disease in several ways:
Managing Chronic Stress to Reduce Heart Disease Risk
To lower the risk of heart disease, it’s essential to manage stress through:
- Regular physical activity (exercise reduces stress hormones and improves heart health)
- Healthy diet (reducing processed foods, sugar, and excessive caffeine)
- Relaxation techniques (meditation, deep breathing, yoga)
- Social support (talking to friends, family, or a therapist)
- Good sleep habits (maintaining a consistent sleep schedule)
Reducing chronic stress is crucial for heart health and overall well-being. If stress feels overwhelming, seeking professional help can be beneficial.
Just three nights of poor sleep might harm your heart – new study
"We’ve long known that a lack of sleep is bad for the heart – but scientists are now starting to understand exactly how it causes harm.
In a new study from Uppsala University in Sweden, researchers found that just three nights of restricted sleep – around four hours a night – triggered changes in the blood linked to a higher risk of heart disease.
The researchers looked at inflammatory proteins in the blood. These are molecules the body produces when it is under stress or fighting off illness. When these proteins stay high for a long time, they can damage blood vessels and raise the risk of problems like heart failure, coronary heart disease and atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat)..."
https://biomarkerres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40364-025-00776-0
https://theconversation.com/just-three-nights-of-poor-sleep-might-harm-your-heart-new-study-256534?
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