Reduce Stress - Lifestyle Changes To Protect Yourself: Heart Disease

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Reduce stress

Some careful studies suggest that stress-reduction techniques may help lower blood pressure. Some or all of the following approaches can help:

Physical exercise. Aerobic exercise can actually dissipate stress and help control depression. Vigorous exercise stimulates the body's production of natural chemicals that elevate mood and diminish pain. Exercise also gives you an opportunity to seek solitude or companionship, depending on your needs.

Behavioral changes. You can reduce your stress level by identifying the tasks, situations, and relationships that cause you undue stress and then modifying them as best you can. For example, if you have too much to do in too little time, set realistic goals and establish priorities. Let the least important items go for now. If, on the other hand, you feel stressed by a lack of focus or challenge in your life, look for new activities and interests to help you get out of a rut. Whatever the cause of your stress, find constructive ways to reduce or eliminate it. Don't rely on alcohol, nicotine, or drugs to solve problems.

Autoregulation techniques. Experiment with deep breathing, progressive muscular relaxation, or meditation. By learning to relax your body, you may find that you can relax your mind.

Counseling or psychotherapy. Seek help from a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, social worker, or psychiatrist. Support groups and stress-management classes can also help.

Anger management. An analysis of 50 studies that included almost 2,000 volunteers found that anger-management programs help people tone down their anger, respond to threatening situations less aggressively, and use positive behaviors such as relaxation techniques or better communication skills. Other studies have demonstrated that improvements like these translate into lower blood pressure and better blood flow to the heart during exercise and stress. It's not yet known, however, whether anger management can prevent coronary artery disease and reduce the likelihood of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiac events.

Last updated:	May 03, 2007