Learn to Love your Heart

(Estimated Reading Time: 2 Minutes)

Our hearts might only be given to us this once, so protecting it is important. Our heart is the center of our circulation system, pumping blood all around the body as our heart beats. This blood sends oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body, and carries away unwanted carbon dioxide and waste. Sounds important right? It is.

But your heart health doesn’t only affect you physically, it can affect your mental health as well.

Everyone feels and reacts to stress differently, reducing stress can go a long way to helping you prevent and maybe even reverse conditions that can lead to heart disease. Your body might respond to stress with headaches, back pain, stomach pain, irregular sleep schedule, and irritablity. You’re never too young or old to start caring for your heart! So here are some really simple and enjoyable ways to love your heart better and lower your stress.

Laugh

Laughter is a great way to reduce stress! It increases the oxygen level throughout your body and can help reduce inflammation. Laughing helps relieve tension by relaxing your muscles and relieving your stress response. It can help improve your mood and your immune system. So go watch your favorite comedy, or crack a joke with friends and get lost in the contagious laughter!

Give Thanks

Keeping a gratitude journal, or taking a moment out of your day to think about what you are grateful for can improve your mood; boost your immune system; reduce the effects of aging on the brain; help you sleep better; and reduce stress. That is a mouthful of benefits.

Meditation

Taking deep breaths or practicing relaxation exercises is beneficial for both the mind and body. It brings in more oxygen and can temporarily reduce blood pressure. Meditation can help you focus on what’s important to you and manage stress more effectively.

Spend Time with a Pet

Spending time with animals helps lower stress hormones, petting cats and dogs can reduce blood pressure temporarily. Dogs specifically are also great observers of stress. In one study, dogs were surprisingly accurate in detecting sweat and breath samples from people who were stressed. A lot of people believe that dogs can detect extreme emotions by smell. So if you’re feeling stressed, go hug a furry friend. They'd be more than happy to kiss you all better!

Take a Nap

People who do not get enough sleep are also more likely to develop high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing heart disease. Taking a nap or assuring you get a full night's rest can also help reduce your body’s cortisol levels, which can help relieve stress.

As you can see there are many simple ways you can start caring for your heart, and living a healthier lifestyle. So take these new tips and love your heart! <3

References:

https://www.beaumont.org/health-wellness/blogs/top-ways-to-reduce-stress-and-save-your-heart

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/stress-and-heart-health