47376-ihf-manage your stressmanage your stress and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke...

MMAANNAAGGEEYYOOUURR SSTTRREESSSSand reduce your riskof heart diseaseand stroke

www.irishheart.ie

47376-IHF-MANAGE YOUR STRESS.indd 1 27/04/2018 14:24

Emotional signscan be frustration,anxiety, a lack ofinterest or beingoverly sensitive

WWhhaatt iiss ssttrreessss??Stress can mean differentthings to different people.For some it can threaten totake over their lives while forothers, once they are awareof its causes and effects,stress can add excitementand challenge to their lives.

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Stress is often defined as amismatch between thedemands placed on us andthe way we cope with thesedemands. It can have apositive and a negativeeffect.

Stress can be positive when it motivates us to getthings done which are important to us. However, itcan be negative when we constantly feelpressurised or traumatised by toomany demands.

We all have demands placed on us - they come fromour work or being unemployed, from relationships,deadlines, financial problems, illness and so on. Wealso have to deal with major changes like movinghome, changing jobs, getting married or coping withthe death of a loved one.

The way we cope with these demands willdepend on the way we think, our personalityand our previous life experiences.

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Effects of stressWe can sometimes recognise the short-term effects ofstress but may not be aware of how harmful the long-term effects can be. Apart from the physicalsymptoms like a pain in the shoulder or tummytrouble, there are also emotional signs like frustration,anxiety, a lack of interest or being overly sensitive.

Our behaviour may change and we can eat too much,drink too much, be irritable with other people orbecome withdrawn from society. All of these can besigns of stress.

Long-term effects

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Blurred vision

• Ulcers

• HyperventiIiation,asthma, palpitations

• High blood pressure

• Heart and arterydisorders

• Sweating more thannormal

• High blood sugar

• Nervous indigestion

• Disturbed sleep patterns

• Difficulty swallowing

• Neck and back problems

• Bowel disorders

• Rashes, allergies

• Sexual difficulties

Short-term effects• Mind becomes alert -ready to act or react

• Dilated pupils

• Dry mouth

• Tension in neck andshoulders

• Faster breathing

• Faster heart rate

• Higher blood pressure

• Sweaty palms

• Feeling sick or havinga ‘butterfly’ stomach

• Increased need tourinate

• Constipation or diarrhoea


Only you canchange the wayyou react to

stress.

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Stress, the heart and strokeThe link between stress, heart disease and stroke iscomplex and not fully understood. If you feel stressed,your blood will produce more hormones. Althoughthey are useful in small amounts, too many of thesehormones, continuously and over time, can damageyour arteries and may lead to high blood pressure.

Also, when life becomes pressurised, people are morelikely to smoke more cigarettes, drink more caffeine,drink too much alcohol and be less physically active.All of these things can contribute to stroke or heartproblems.

CopingPeople who cope best with stress seem to have thesethings in common.• A sense of being in control of their lives.• A network of friends or family to providesocial support.

• Personality traits like flexibilityand hopefulness.


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So what can you do?• Work off stress - physical activity helps to producethe body’s own ‘happy’ hormones, or anti-depressants, called endorphins. These give us thatfeel-good factor we experience after exercise.

• Aim to be active for at least 30 minutes 5 days aweek. Walk briskly, cycle, jog, swim or enjoy anyfavourite activity for 30 minutes or more. Build upyour 30 minutes of activity over two to three shortersessions, if you prefer.

• Talk to someone you really trust - we often under-estimate the value of talking to friends.

• Learn to accept what you cannot change.

• Get enough sleep and rest to recharge yourbatteries.

• Take one thing at a time.

• Agree with somebody. Life doesn’t have to be aconstant battleground.

• Manage your time better - develop a system thatworks for you, not against you. Learn to prioritise,make lists and praise yourself for getting throughthe various tasks.

• Plan ahead and learn to say ‘no’.

• Take up a hobby. Work or family commitments donot have to take up all of your time.

• Eat a variety of foods. Eat lots of fruit andvegetables every day and cut down on fat.

• Learn to relax. Try going to the cinema,listening to music or reading.

• Talk to your doctor who may adviseyou to see a specialist.


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Practical stressbustersHumourSerious thinking and behaviour can cause stress,whereas laughter can uncork the pressure and releasebuilt-up tension. Laughing also helps us get a betterview of the problem and tends to make us feel morelight-hearted.

TreatsWhenever you are faced with a difficult challenge,plan to give yourself a treat afterwards. Thepossibilities are endless – a meal with a friend, a newitem of clothing, a book, a relaxing bath or listening tomusic. Having something to look forward to will helpyou cope much better.

Comfort zonesFind your own comfort zone where you can findsupport, strength and inner peace. This can be aperson (partner, friend or colleague), a place (beach orpark) or routine ritual (a long bath or a particularwalk). Take some time to enjoy this comfort zone.

Worry boxWe waste so much valuable time worrying aboutthings. An effective way to stop this needless frettingis to make a worry box. Set aside a particular timeeach day for worrying about things. Write down whatyou are thinking about, then, put it aside until yourset worry period comes along. Very often, manythings which harassed us yesterday will have sortedthemselves out by the time our ‘worry period’ comesalong.


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MassageMassage will ease out aches and pains, and will helpyour body relax and unwind. There are a variety oftechniques available, including aromatherapy andreflexology.

Get it out - let goWe often try to hide what is troubling us, foolishlythinking that somehow we are controlling it by doingso. The ability to let go is a powerful weapon in thefight against stress. You can talk to a friend, write,paint a picture, scream, cry or even shout it out. Howyou do it doesn’t matter. The important thing is toclarify the problem, get it into perspective and cut itdown to size.

Breathing techniqueBreathing is essential to life and breathing patternsoften reflect our state of mind or emotions. Webreathe between 16,000 and 20,000 times a day, so itcan be a powerful tool in gaining some control overhow we react to situations. The abdominal breathingtechnique described on the next page can be veryuseful and we need to get used to doing it so we canexperience the physical and emotional benefits. Havea go and notice the difference in how you deal withpotentially stressful situations.

It will take about 10 weeks of daily practice beforeyou will be able to feel a difference.


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Abdominal breathingSit in a comfortable position, both feet firmly on theground. Close your eyes, place your left hand on yourabdomen and your right hand on your chest.

Breathing normally, notice whichhand moves as you breathe. Slowlycount from one to four as youbreathe in through your nose.Pause for two counts. Then openyour mouth and mentallycount from one to six as youbreathe out through your mouth.

As you breathe in this way, try to shift most of themovement toward your lower hand. Allow yourabdomen to push your hand out as you breathe inand pull your abdomen in, letting your hand fall ormove as you breathe out. After several minutes ofslow rhythmic breathing, let your hands move slowlyto your sides as your abdomen continues to movefreely in and out with each breath. Slowly open youreyes and sit quietly.

This technique is excellent for emotional calming.Practice this every day to get the best effect.

For a healthy heart• Enjoy life. Relax and keep in touch with friends.• Be more physically active every day.• Eat more fruit and vegetables, and less fat and fries.• If you smoke try to stop.• Drink less alcohol.• Have your blood pressure and cholesterol levelchecked.

You can get more advice and support from thefollowing organisations:www.samaritans.orgwww.aware.iewww.mentalhealthireland.ie


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Please make a donation todayThe Irish Heart Foundation is Ireland’s national charitydedicated to the reduction of death and disability fromheart disease and stroke. Over 90% of our funding comesfrom public and business donations. We depend on yourgoodwill and generosity to continue our work.

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FFuunnddiinngg::The Irish Heart Foundation is the national charityfighting heart disease and stroke and relies oncharitable donations for 90 per cent of its funding.We support, educate and train people to save lives,campaign for patients, promote positive healthstrategies, support research and provide vital publicinformation. We need your support - throughdonations, as a volunteer or on our training courses.

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Published by the Irish HeartFoundation in 2011. For moreinformation, contact the IrishHeart Foundation or yourlocal HSE office:

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