4 Tips on Managing Stress for Better Heart Health
I think we can agree that 2020 may have brought some added stress to our lives in some way or another.
Stress, whether from outside circumstances or inner emotional circumstances, can have a huge impact on our heart health. When we are under stress our blood pressure and heart rates increase and if we don’t manage it well, it can turn into chronic stress (long-term stress).
“Chronic stress exposes our body to unhealthy, elevated levels of stress hormones like cortisol, and may also change the way blood clots. All of these factors can set the stage for a heart attack or stroke. Negative emotions may also affect lifestyle habits, which in turn can increase heart disease risk.” (1)
So how can we manage our stress levels when we can’t change the circumstances around us that cause stress?!
Check out these 4 tips on how you manage stress to have better heart health!
Tip 1: Start your day with positive thoughts!
Tip 2: Reduce how much outside noise you allow to influence you.
Tip 3: Increase thankfulness and gratefulness.
Tip 4: Enjoy a healthy meal.
Tip 1: Start your day with positive thoughts!
Set your perspective for the day. We have a choice of what we set our thoughts on.
If we spend the first few minutes of our day setting our minds on positive things, we can change the course of our day. I have found this to be true on SO MANY occasions. Here’s what I like to do:
Spend a few minutes with uplifting music
Read or listen to a few scriptures
Spend some time in prayer/meditation
This can literally be 10-15 minutes. I’m a mom of 3 littles so I don’t have hours to do this. Sometimes I only have 5 minutes, but if I start my day with these 3 things instead of scrolling social media, there is a stark difference in my day.
Tip 2: Reduce how much outside noise you allow to influence you.
Things like the news, social media, and negative people can have a large impact on our stress. If we are “plugged into” these outlets consistently throughout the day, they can have a greater negative impact on our thought processes.
While it’s good to stay up-to-date on current events, I recommend tuning in to hear what you need and then turning it off.
Tip 3: Increase thankfulness and gratefulness.
Whenever I find myself really stressed, I turn to set my mind on things I am grateful for. I’ll turn on some positive music; for me, it’s often worship music and I blare it. A lot of times it turns into a dance party with my kiddos!
You can also post positive quotes around your home or in your car, wherever you spend a lot of your time.
Tip 4: Enjoy a healthy meal!
What we eat matters. If we consume tons of junk and processed foods it can cause depression, mood changes, irritability, etc. If we consume healthy nutrient-rich foods, we can feel good, have clear thinking, etc!
Try starting your day with this superfood smoothie:
12 oz unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop of bone broth protein powder
½ cup blueberries
½ cup fresh spinach
Whatever you do, at the end of the day, fight for your peace. I could go on and on (maybe I’ll do a part 2 to this post), but it’s so important to protect your peace and do the things you have the power to do. If it’s a situation you can’t control, don’t let it control you, choose your perspective.
