Heart Health and Your Feelings: What You Need to Know
Did you know that how you feel inside can affect your heart? Scientists have discovered that our emotions and our heart are closely connected. Feeling stressed, angry, or sad can actually make it harder for your heart to stay healthy. At the same time, having heart problems can make you feel worried or sad.
How do feelings impact your heart?
- Stress can create harmful chemicals in your body that hurt your blood vessels over time.
- When you're feeling down or worried, it's harder to do healthy things like exercising and eating right.
- Finding out you have a heart problem can make you feel extra nervous or sad.
The good news is that you can take steps to help both your heart and your feelings:
- Practice gratitude: Thinking about the good things in life can lower your blood pressure and help you make healthier choices.
- Get good sleep: Sleeping well can reduce your chance of heart problems.
- Talk to your doctor: If you're worried about your heart or your feelings, talking to a doctor is a great first step.
- Learn ways to manage stress: There are programs that can teach you how to handle tough emotions. You can take a quick mental health assessment and begin a self-paced program by visiting learntolive.com/welcome/welcome/ndmedicaidexp. Learn to Live is confidential and available to you at no cost.
Remember, taking care of your feelings is just as important as taking care of your body. Your heart and your mind work together, so being kind to yourself can help you stay healthy.
