[ad_1]
It all starts in the amygdala, the brain’s fear center, which responds to stress by activating the fight-or-flight response and triggering the release of hormones that can increase body fat, blood pressure, and insulin resistance over time. Besides, As the team explained, the cascade of responses to stress causes inflammation of the arteries, promotes blood clotting and impairs the function of blood vessels; all of which promotes atherosclerosis, the artery disease that underlies most heart attacks and strokes.
Dr. Tawakol’s team explained that advanced neuroimaging makes it possible to directly measure the effect of stress on various body tissues, including the brain. A Preliminary study on 293 people Those without cardiovascular disease at baseline who underwent whole-body scans, including brain activity, had a striking outcome. Five years later, individuals with high activity in the amygdala were shown to have higher levels of inflammation and atherosclerosis.
Translation: Those with high levels of emotional stress have developed biological evidence of cardiovascular disease. In contrast, Dr. Osborne said that “not firmly attached people” are less likely to experience the bad heart effects of stress.
Researchers are now investigating the effects of a stress-reducing program called SMART-3RP (which stands for Stress Management and Resilience Training-Relaxation Response Flexibility Program) on the brain and biological factors that promote atherosclerosis. The program is designed to help people reduce stress and build resilience through mind-body techniques such as mindfulness-based meditation, yoga, and tai chi. Such measures activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the brain and body.
Eliminating stress and its effects
Even without an official program, Dr. Osborne said individuals can minimize their body’s heart-damaging response to stress. One of the best ways is through habitual physical exercise, which can help reduce stress and the body-wide inflammation it can cause.
Given that insufficient sleep increases stress and promotes arterial inflammation, developing good sleep habits may also reduce the risk of cardiovascular damage. Adopt a consistent bedtime and wakeup routine and avoid exposure to screens that emit blue light, such as smartphones and computers, before bedtime, or use blue light filters for such devices.
Take reassuring measures such as mindfulness meditation, sedative techniques to slow breathing, yoga and tai chi.
[ad_2]
Source link