Morning Live: Will Kirk opens up on how he deals with stress
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Stress is a common risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, increasing the risk and potentially acting as a trigger.
One stress reducing exercise has been singled out by the University of Pittsburgh.
Women who practise self-compassion were identified to have lower risk of heart disease, even after accounting for other factors such as blood pressure and body weight.
The results of their research were published in The American Psychological Association’s Psycnet.
The study surveyed just under 200 women on their self-perceptions of stress, anxiety and feelings of disappointment or inadequacy.
These psychological exams were conducted alongside an ultrasound of their blood vessels.
Those who cultivated a habit of accepting and forgiving themselves in moments of stress had healthier blood vessels with less build up of plaque.
Rebecca Thurston, Ph. D. and professor of psychiatry, clinical and translational science, epidemiology and psychology at Pittsburgh said: “These findings underscore the importance of practicing kindness and compassion, particularly towards yourself.”
The researchers note that the pandemic’s mental health effects have been more pronounced on women.
They often have to care for infants, elderly relatives, and sick family members.
Women also make up a disproportionate number of healthcare workers.
There is also a greater social expectation on women to perform emotional labour to help other people going through stress as a result of the pandemic.
Self-compassion is a tool used by counsellors and clinical psychologists to assist with chronic stress, anxiety, and depression.
It broadly refers to being considerate of yourself the way you would be considerate and encouraging towards a close friend.
This method can be used to cultivate positive thoughts, or to mitigate negative feelings.
The researchers didn’t directly investigate the clinical practise of teaching self-compassion but instead looked at the patterns of thought associated with it.
The study looked specifically at middle aged women who did not already suffer from cardiovascular disease.
The outcomes might not translate fully to women who do suffer from cardiovascular disease, or to men.
There is good reason to believe that techniques for reducing stress can have a preventative effect against cardiovascular disease.
Stress can cause the production of hormones, such as adrenaline, that increase blood pressure and worsen your cardiovascular health.
The British Heart Foundation lists stress as a warning sign for heart disease and notes certain physical symptoms that are linked to persistent stress.
You might notice palpitations, where you heart beats more quickly and noticeably.
Other symptoms include a dry mouth, headaches, fatigue, and changes to eating habits of body weight.
If you are urgently worried about your mental health you can contact the Samaritans free of charge at 116 123.
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