The essential elements to improve the health of your heart are diet, exercise, smoking and stress.
Work Stress Linked to Risk of Heart Disease
People with more stressful jobs have a higher risk of developing heart disease. This is according to a study conducted by researchers from University College London and published in the European Heart Journal.
Researchers from University College London monitored a group of British civil servants for 12 years, collecting information on their heart rates, blood pressure, blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol, how they felt about their jobs, and information about their diet, exercise, smoking and drinking habits.
The researchers found that those who had high degree of stress were 70 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who had no stress. The effect held for both men and women, and was strongest for people under the age of 50.
The researchers noted that people with more stress reported having less time to eat well or exercise properly, which would increase their risk of heart disease. But the stress itself was also associated with biological changes that increased their risk.
People who reported more stress also had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood, including in the morning after waking up. Stress hormones are well documented to cause damage to the body over the long term.The British Heart Foundation welcomed the study results and said that it is important that people find the time to exercise. Being physically fit is one of the most important factors in reducing the risk of heart disease.