Fit & Proper: Negative thoughts can harm your heart

Subodh's promotion to chief manager was like living a dream. But bigger position meant bigger responsibilities and never-ending list of deadlines. The hectic workload and continued stress took a toll on Subodh. He started losing his temper at most the trivial of matters and eventually his disposition turned extremely temperamental and volatile. During a crucial board meeting, Subodh experienced sudden dizziness and sweating, accompanied by mild pain in his left arm and nausea. The diagnosis appalled Subodh . A non-smoker and non-drinker with just the right weight, he had considered himself healthy. How did he suddenly become a cardiac patient?

Humans deal with stress on a daily basis. It is unavoidable and so are the negative thoughts that arise while dealing with a nerve-wracking situation. It is more or less impossible to be any kind of professional these days and not experience frequent bouts of intense stress.

Anger, hostility and cynicism have been observed to harm your heart. These emotions quickly activate the "fight or flight response", in which release of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, speed up your heart rate and breathing. Frequent anger initiates the stress response within the body, causing blood sugar levels to rise, heart rate and blood pressure to increase, and this may speed up the process of atherosclerosis, in which fatty plaques build up in arteries.

Chronic stress that causes an increase in the heart rate and blood pressure may damage the walls of the artery. People who experience explosive bouts of anger are at greater risk for heart disease, as well as those who harbour suppressed rage.

Watch for signs and symptoms and pay utmost attention - these are the precursors to underlying heart trouble. Women are more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain, such as unusual fatigue, dizziness, sweating, upper back or abdominal discomfort and nausea.

People who experience extreme emotions such as anger and anxiety should get themselves checked for heart related diseases as they are at high risk of cardiovascular diseases.

QUICK TIPS

• Avoid people who bring negativity or people who are constantly angry, grumpy and discouraging.
• Notice how sudden bouts of anger make you feel and which events trigger those feelings so you can prepare in advance and learn to suppress the outburst as much as possible.
• Take support from your loved ones. It is never too late to let them know about your worries and the reasons for your stress.
• Relax by adopting techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, reading, walking.
• Exercise. Physical activity alleviates stress and reduces your risk of becoming depressed. Aerobic activity lowers your level of stress chemicals and allows you to cope better with negative emotions.
• Get enough sleep. Lack of sound sleep can affect your mood, mental alertness, energy level and physical health.

Haresh Mehta
Consultant intervention cardiologist, Lilavati Hospital , Mumbai