De-stress To Boost Heart Health

2 minute read

In the final instalment of our three-part series on cardiovascular health, health psychologist Dr Lisa Hynes explains how to identify your particular stressors and act to reduce them.

“Looking after your cardiovascular health is a lifelong process,” explains health psychologist Dr Lisa Hynes. “At the same time, though, it’s never too late to turn your attention to the health of your heart, and to do whatever you can to take better care of it. It’s fair to say, though, that the data tells us our heart health could and should be more of a priority.”

What the data tells us

More than 60% of people aged over 50 in Ireland are living with hypertension or uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Of that group, about half of them don’t know that they have high blood pressure, which can be dangerous if left this way for a long period of time.
Of the group who do know that they have hypertension, about half still have elevated blood pressure.

“This is a complicated issue,” Hynes explains. “I always say that knowledge alone has never changed anyone’s behaviour. It’s about more than knowing these facts – it’s about moving from knowing to doing and taking control of the risk factors,” she adds.

Yearly checkups with your GP are vital to keeping your cardiovascular health in check

Understand your triggers

“When we try to normalise stress in our lives, we tend to say, ‘I have nothing to be giving out about’, ‘other people have more to worry about than I do’. But being aware of what we find stressful in our lives is a really important place to start. Think about:
How you personally experience stress. This will be totally different from person to person, and nobody can tell you what is stressful, nor can you tell anyone else what is or isn’t stressful for them.
Try to broaden your emotional capacity, as it’s a really good step towards increasing your awareness of what is stressful in your life and how you experience stress.
Pay more attention to how you behave in response to stress – such as coping strategies, and what it is you do to help yourself feel better at stressful times.

“Being aware of how you respond to stress is really important. Skipping a walk or your gym session can, over time, be more harmful than helpful in times of difficulty,” Hynes explains. It can also be harmful to your heart health, she adds.

But increasing your awareness and adding in activities to your day will help. Try meditation if that sounds good to you; or some exercise, even if you really don’t feel like it; or a yoga or dance class in your living room, which will help to shake off the tension. Even calling your friend to have a good rant could help lower your stress levels, Hynes advises. “These things may seem really minor,” Hynes adds, “But in response to the stressors we experience, they can be beneficial over time.”