A landmark study, known as the InterHeart Study, which looked at 26,000 people who had a heart attack across 52 countries, showed that psychosocial factors were one of the 9 most important causes of heart disease. ‘Psychosocial factors’ is an umbrella term which includes stress, depression, anger, hostility, and social isolation. The presence of any of these can increase your chances of heart disease by two to three-folds.

What is stress?

In medical terms, stress has been defined as the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change.

Stress cannot be measured

Stress is the only cardiac risk factor that cannot be measured. Since stress cannot be measured, it becomes hard to define it in an individual. After all, stress is a normal part of life, which when present in the right amount helps function optimally. It’s only when stress becomes excessive does it turn into distress.

 

How does stress affect the heart and body?

Stress is an independent or direct risk factor for heart disease, but it also acts indirectly via its influence on other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity. For example, individuals who are highly stressed may have wrong eating habits and not exercise, which will increase their risk. In this case, stress has an indirect effect on the heart. 

Stress can directly influence the heart through the nervous system. Due to stress, the hormone adrenaline is released, which causes the heart to beat faster, and at the same time leads to narrowing of the coronary arteries. The individual’s blood pressure and breathing rate also increases. In addition, it leads to an increase in sweating, slowing down of digestive activity, and narrowing of blood vessels in different parts of the body.

What are stressors?

Stressors are anything that can make one stressed. Stressors can be divided into major and minor. Some may consider a delayed flight a minor stressor, while another might consider it major. 

 

Here is a list of minor stressors that usually take place in daily life. By no means is it a complete list:

• Job stress
• Minor illness
• Daily commute
• Inflation
• Weather

If minor stressors persist for a while, they can turn into major stressors. On the other hand, some situations in life clearly qualify as major, and here is a list of some of them:

• Serious illness or death in the family
• Loss of job
• Relationship issues
• Divorce
• Financial constraints

Stress management techniques

Meditation

Few common techniques that one should incorporate in the meditation practice are:

• Meditate in a quiet place
• Meditate in a comfortable position. Try yogic posture of padmasana or the lotus pose. ( Check out the video on “Hosistic Yoga” from our in-house experts.) If anyone finds that difficult,  it’s okay to be seated in any comfortable position on the ground or chair for meditation
• Spend a few minutes focusing on breathing and gradually clear all thoughts from your mind
• Meditate daily for at least 10-15 minutes

Exercise as a stress buster

Go out for an hour-long brisk walk or run and see how you feel. It is almost impossible to feel stressed when someone is in the midst of intense physical activity and the reason is simple. During a prolonged bout of continuous exercise, the brain releases chemicals called endorphins. These have morphine-like qualities, which act as painkillers and give the body a natural high.

Several studies have shown that exercise is therapeutic for both depression and anxiety. In addition to its direct benefits in making feel better, exercise has several other indirect benefits. A large number of individuals tend to be relatively immobile after heart disease, due to anxiety. Once individuals start exercising, it’s easier to get back to work, and often a big chunk of anxiety is lifted once they get back into the swing of things.

Yoga and heart disease

Yoga is a vast and ancient tradition and science which teaches us to live life in a holistic manner.

In 2004, the Yoga Institute conducted and published a study titled The Beneficial Effects of Yoga Lifestyle on Reversibility of Ischaemic Heart Disease. In this study, they took 71 individuals with heart disease and put them through a programme based on the principles of yoga, including asanas, nutrition, exercise and stress management for a period of one year. ​

In other words, the emphasis was on a yogic lifestyle, and not just physical asanas.

At the end of the year, they showed that these individuals had significantly improved their cardiac parameters and many had shown ‘reversal’ of their heart disease.

The yogic way of life is based on four principles:

1. Aahar or diet: A balanced vegetarian diet. The emphasis though, is not just on the food content; it also needs to be prepared and eaten in a quiet and happy state of mind

2. Vihar or recreation: It’s important to cultivate a hobby different from your profession. In addition, a daily brisk walk takes the mind of your routine chores and is recommended

3. Aachar or behaviour: We need to learn to ‘respond’ to life situations rather than ‘react’. Our daily routine needs to be one of discipline and consistency

4. Vichaar or thoughts: Divine and positive thoughts will help shape our attitude and approach to life.

Take-home messages – ​

• Psychosocial factors, which include stress, depression, anxiety, anger, hostility, and social isolation have tremendous impact on heart disease risk.

• Stress is an integral part of daily life and cannot be totally avoided. However, our reaction to stress is more important and that is in our control.

• Meditation and exercise are great stress-management techniques.

• A yogic way of life, which includes the right Aahar, Vihar, Aachar, and Vichaar, prevents stress and heart disease.​​