When we think of heart health, we tend to think of keystone habits like nutrition and exercise. (And yes, these really can improve heart and blood vessel function.) But psychology studies show that we may be underestimating the power of our thoughts, because how you think can impact how your heart functions. This isn’t a novel concept, and it may remind you of the saying that laughter is the best medicine. This statement simplifies folk wisdom that positive emotions can impact physical health, and indeed daily laugher frequency is associated with risk of cardiovascular disease… How does it work?
Those who laugh often may have a more cheerful disposition. Our willingness to find humor in a situation tends to be easier if we can laugh out ourselves, so it is common in those who can avoid critical self-judgment and see situations with a flexible perspective. We can develop our sense of humor by addressing self-limiting thoughts, though it does not come easily to many individuals. In addition to helping us enjoy our daily experience, humor may be an important strategy for dealing with stress.
We all have different perceptions of stress, even when we face similar circumstances. Your view of the world and how you react to every day events reflects your personality. The idea that personality is associated with risk of heart disease was identified in the 1950’s, where higher risks were observed in those with more aggression and tension. Recent studies extend this idea and find frequent anger and hostility as predictors of poor heart health. These behaviors give us clues as to how a person may respond to difficulties and stress in their lives.
How does a trait, feeling, or frequent behavior change the body physically? During different mood states, the brain releases different amounts of neurotransmitters and hormones, and glands throughout the body release different substances in return. You may recognize the stress response as a rapid heart rate, sweaty underarms and palms, and maybe even tunnel vision. Tension in the jaw and shoulders is also common. This is your body preparing for action based on your interpretation that you are in some kind of danger or facing a threat.
At the same time, stress causes us to release more cortisol, a hormone that raises our blood sugar and changes how we encode memories. The brain “learns” how to deal with stress over time, and exposure to trauma can change how the brain develops. As a result, your experiences (even during childhood) will influence how your body responds to a difficult challenge today. For example, those who have endured abuse or neglect have less stable emotions as adults because the brain areas that regulate emotions have developed differently.
This ability to regulate emotions is associated with a lower risk of coronary artery disease. And it’s not just childhood trauma that changes emotion regulation because our emotional vitality may be impaired, at least for some time, after we experience losses in our lives. Losses include anything that brings us sadness or despair. We can improve our thoughts during times of stress by focusing on the positives. Having a positive mindset in times of stress does change our brain patterns and will help us to become happier.
Some individuals can embrace positivity by noticing and adjusting their inner narrative. Being able to recognize how stress manifests in the body can be a positive step in the right direction. When we are able to notice physical signs of stress, such as a pounding heart rate, we can speed our recovery by identifying what calms us down and taking action.
Where to start? Try these healthy options to cope with stress:
To clarify, stress is not the enemy. It is part of life. It is what helps us improve and grow. Instead, it seems that stress is harmful when we have a prolonged experiences of alarm and threat. We can shorten these stress responses by regaining a sense of control, so that may be why the bulleted actions above help so much. In each case, we are making a decision to focus on something different. We are embracing our power to change our circumstances, in whatever small way we can. This can help us develop a more positive self-regards. All four options (slowing the breath, going outside, connecting with others, and moving the body) are all healthy self-care practices.
How about direct changes to your ticker? The heart responds to some forms of stress, like regular exercise, in ways that make it more resilient. But other kinds of stress that involve a prolonged experience of negative emotions cause the heart to work harder. Some of the heart chambers may lose function, blood flow may be reduced to the heart muscle, and the heart beat rhythm may be more erratic. It is clear that we may have a lot to gain from adjusting how we think, but what really works to start thinking more positively? Try the four healthy options to cope with stress and work with Treo to help support heart health.
Many Treo members are aiming for better cardiovascular health, so we provide personalized guidance for this specific health goal. Our platform connects users to resources that build mental and physical resilience, so members can work on healthy habits they care about and explore the science behind how these habits work. Through tracking and the option of wellness coaching, we support members as they improve the daily behaviors that benefit wellbeing.
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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