Did you know that stress can cause significant health issues? According to Heart.org, chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, an increased risk of heart attack, and a higher chance of stroke. These risks are compounded for seniors, who need to be wary of their stress levels.
Portage is an ideal town for those seeking to avoid stress. But can stress cause chest pain, and if so, how do these conditions impact heart health? Most importantly, what can you do to manage anxiety and reduce your cardiovascular risks?
If you’re curious about senior heart health and the effects of stress on aging, we’re here to help. Read on for a brief overview of high blood pressure risks and how you can manage your stress.
Can Stress Cause Chest Pain?
The short answer is yes, stress can cause chest pain. However, this is too brief a summary to understand the why, how, and what you can do to stop it.
According to News Medical, chest pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. These chest pains can be cardiac or non-cardiac in origin.
Cardiac Origins
A “cardiac origin” means the chest pain is linked to your heart. These include, but are not limited to:
- Heart and artery spasms
- Reduced blood supply or poor circulation
- Oxygen-deficient blood
- Pre-existing cardiovascular conditions
In short, a cardiac origin means there’s a health issue that the stress has either caused or exasperated. These are things that any senior should seek medical attention for at the earliest convenience
Non-Cardiac Origins
If a cardiac origin is one that’s linked to your heart, a non-cardiac origin is anything else. These are related to other physical or mental conditions that aren’t strictly in your cardiovascular system.
A good example of this is hyperventilation as a result of stress. Hyperventilating can cause you to tense the muscles in your chest, which may cause chest pain.
Anxiety can also lead to issues with the esophagus. Spasms in the esophagus can further cause chest pain.
Stress, Chest Pains, and Origins
Stress can cause chest pains that are both cardiac and non-cardiac in origin. To use our above example, stress can lead to increased anxiety or panic, which leads to behaviors that can cause chest pains. Similarly, it can cause cardiac issues through problems with blood pressure.
Most stress-related chest pains are cardiac in origin. According to Harvard Health, stress can cause angina, or chest pain caused by inadequate blood to the heart. Stress will increase our blood pressure, which makes it more difficult for our circulatory system to do its job.
In short, stress can cause chest pain and does so in various ways. Affecting our blood pressure or circulation is the most common cardiac origin. Causing high anxiety, hyperventilation, and muscle spasms is the most common non-cardiac origin.
How to Manage Stress
Can stress cause chest pain? It certainly can, which makes it all the more important to know how to manage your stress.
At Rittenhouse Village At Portage, we’re dedicated to helping our residents manage their stress levels. Here are some wellness strategies for older adults.
Exercise and Meditation
One of the best ways to battle stress is through relaxation techniques for seniors and keeping your body healthy. According to the Mayo Clinic, stress is proven to reduce our stress in a variety of ways, such as:
- Pumping up our endorphin levels to reduce stress
- Helping to reduce the negative effects, especially cardiovascular
- Helps you to get your mind off of the things that are stressing you out
Meditation is particularly effective for the latter, with many referring to exercise as “meditation in motion.” meditation is the practice of taking time to distance your thoughts from the things that are concerning and worrying you.
You’re likely familiar with exercises that blend both, such as yoga or tai chi. These focus on moderate, light exercises that seniors can usually do with ease while employing breathing techniques. These relaxation techniques for seniors are ideal for focusing on your health and mindfulness.
Socializing With Peers
A common cause of stress for the elderly is loneliness. Many seniors are hesitant to make new friends, reach out to peers, or socialize. Others sometimes feel alienated from their family when they join a living community.
Senior living communities provide plenty of chances to socialize, from game nights to communal leisure. Taking time to get to know some of your peers and socialize with them can help to reduce stress.
Not only will this help with the effects of stress on aging, but it will also compound as time goes on. Once you’ve made friends with your peers and socialized to have a network, you’ll have a group of close friends that will help to keep the stress away.
Managing a Healthy Diet
One of the best ways to reduce the effects of stress is with a healthy diet. In many ways, this is also why exercise is helpful. Increasing your physical health will always help with the effects of stress.
Many of the effects of stress are similar to the effects of a bad diet. Higher blood pressure or fatigue can come from not getting the right nutrients or having too much of the proverbial “bad stuff” in your diet.
Taking time to improve your diet can help you to keep the worst effects of stress under control. It’s still strongly recommended that you take time to remove the stress and exercise, but a healthy diet cannot be discounted.
Managing Senior Heart Health
Can stress cause chest pain? Stress is ultimately one of the greatest causes of chest pain through both cardiac and non-cardiac origins. You can manage the majority of this condition through exercise, meditation, a healthy diet, and a good social life.
At Rittenhouse Villages At Portage, we’re proud to offer you an environment to keep your stress levels down. We’ve worked to redesign how senior living should look, combining stylish homes with amazing amenities. Schedule a tour to see how we can serve you.
