{"id":49393,"date":"2022-02-21T08:51:07","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T14:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?p=49393"},"modified":"2024-04-06T06:30:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-06T06:30:24","slug":"how-mental-stress-can-affect-physical-health","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/how-mental-stress-can-affect-physical-health\/","title":{"rendered":"How Mental Stress Can Affect Physical Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"blog-entry__subtitle--full\">Pandemic-associated emotional and behavioral changes have impacted health<\/h2>\n<div>\n<div id=\"block-pt-content\" class=\"block\">\n<article role=\"article\" data-history-node-id=\"1172043\">\n<div class=\"blog-entry--body\">\n<div class=\"blog-entry--body-second\">\n<div class=\"blog_entry__key-points\">\n<h3 class=\"blog_entry__key-points-title\">KEY POINTS<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"blog_entry__key-points-item-list\">\n<li class=\"blog_entry__key-points-item\">65 percent of 1,000 surveyed American adults reported experiencing increased stress because of the COVID pandemic.<\/li>\n<li class=\"blog_entry__key-points-item\">Stress may be the likeliest cause of the reported shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, and elevated blood pressure.<\/li>\n<li class=\"blog_entry__key-points-item\">Stress-reduction techniques improve heart health.<\/li>\n<li class=\"blog_entry__key-points-item\">Optimism, having a sense of purpose, happiness, mindfulness, and a feeling of psychological well-being are associated with better heart health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"field-name-body\">\n<div class=\"insertArea\">\n<div class=\"image-article-inline-half\">\n<div class=\"insert-inner\">\n<div class=\"insert-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"Hernan Pauccara\/Pexels\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.psychologytoday.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/article-inline-half-caption\/public\/field_blog_entry_images\/2022-02\/pexels-hernan-pauccara-1210273.jpg?itok=6_AiL49h\" alt=\"Hernan Pauccara\/Pexels\" width=\"320\" height=\"281\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"caption\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"insertArea--origin subtext\">Picture Source: Hernan Pauccara\/Pexels<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A recent Cleveland Clinic\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.clevelandclinic.org\/2022\/02\/01\/cleveland-clinic-survey-roughly-40-of-americans-have-experienced-at-least-one-heart-related-issue-since-the-beginning-of-covid-19-pandemic\/\">survey<\/a>\u00a0indicated that 41 percent of Americans have experienced at least one heart-related issue since the beginning of the\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at COVID-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/coronavirus-disease-2019\" hreflang=\"en\">COVID-19<\/a>\u00a0pandemic. The most common symptoms cited by the survey of 1,000 American adults included shortness of breath (18 percent), dizziness (15 percent), increased blood pressure (15 percent), and chest pain (13 percent).<\/p>\n<div class=\"markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-0\" data-slot-position=\"0\"><\/div>\n<p>The survey documented that, during the COVID pandemic, frequent sitting throughout the day increased by 5 percent, while frequent walking throughout the day decreased by 4 percent.<\/p>\n<h3>Alternative Conclusions<\/h3>\n<p>While it is true that patients with heart disease can develop shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, and elevated blood pressure, these symptoms can occur because of many physical and mental health problems other than heart disease. Therefore, it is misleading to suggest these are all heart-related.<\/p>\n<div class=\"markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-1\" data-slot-position=\"1\"><\/div>\n<p>It is also important to note that shortness of breath, dizziness, and chest pain do not cause heart disease. Elevated blood pressure, if sustained for a long time, can cause increased heart strain.<\/p>\n<p>The Cleveland Clinic survey also documented that 65 percent of Americans experienced increased\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at stress\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/stress\" hreflang=\"en\">stress<\/a>\u00a0because of the pandemic. The top reasons cited for this increase included fearing that a loved one might become ill and feeling disconnected from their loved ones.<\/p>\n<p>Thus, increased stress may actually the likeliest cause of the symptoms reported in the survey. Stress is well recognized as causing shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, and elevated blood pressure (Searight, 2007).<\/p>\n<h3>Additional Essential Advice<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Samir Kapadia, chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic was quoted as saying the survey was conducted because \u201cWe wanted to see what kind of effect the ongoing pandemic is having on Americans\u2019 heart health and in particular their healthy habits.\u201d He advised that \u201cWe know 90 percent of heart disease is preventable through a healthier\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at diet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/diet\" hreflang=\"en\">diet<\/a>, regular exercise, and not\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at smoking\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/smoking\" hreflang=\"en\">smoking<\/a>, so now is the time to refocus on our heart health.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-3\" data-slot-position=\"3\"><\/div>\n<p>The American medical establishment often fails to advise patients on how\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/node\/1168416\">emotions can affect physical symptoms<\/a>, and how the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/node\/1171780\">self-management of emotions<\/a>\u00a0can help improve their symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>Given the known connection between stress and the development of heart disease (Levine, 2021), best practices for heart health would be to also recommend Americans employ more stress-reduction techniques. Such techniques include biofeedback,\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at cognitive behavioral\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/cognitive-behavioral-therapy\" hreflang=\"en\">cognitive behavioral<\/a>\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at therapy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/therapy\" hreflang=\"en\">therapy<\/a>,\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at hypnosis\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/hypnosis\" hreflang=\"en\">hypnosis<\/a>,\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at meditation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/meditation\" hreflang=\"en\">meditation<\/a>, and yoga (Anbar, 2014).<\/p>\n<div class=\"markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-4\" data-slot-position=\"4\"><\/div>\n<p>In addition, patients should be educated about the benefits of a positive psychological state for heart health. For example, many studies have shown that\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at optimism\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/optimism\" hreflang=\"en\">optimism<\/a>, having a sense of purpose,\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at happiness\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/happiness\" hreflang=\"en\">happiness<\/a>,\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at mindfulness\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/mindfulness\" hreflang=\"en\">mindfulness<\/a>, higher emotional vitality, and a feeling of psychological well-being are associated with better heart health (Levine, 2021).<\/p>\n<div class=\"markup-replacement-slot markup-replacement-slot-5\" data-slot-position=\"5\"><\/div>\n<h3>Takeaway<\/h3>\n<p>Stress can aggravate many medical conditions including heart, lung, stomach, and brain disorders. Therefore, a recommendation for enhanced stress\u00a0<a class=\"basics-link\" title=\"Psychology Today looks at management\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/basics\/leadership\" hreflang=\"en\">management<\/a>\u00a0should be offered early in the course of treating the majority of medical disorders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"blog-entry-references\" data-hide-large-count-items=\"false\">\n<p class=\"blog-entry-references-label\">References<\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-entry-references-content-items\">\n<div class=\"blog-entry-references-content\">\n<p>Anbar, Ran D. (ed). 2014. \u201cFunctional Symptoms in Pediatric Disease: A Clinical Guide.\u201d New York, NY: Springer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"blog-entry-references-content\">\n<p>Levine, Glenn N., et al. 2021. Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.\u00a0<em>Circulation<\/em>. 143:e763\u2013e783.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"blog-entry-references-content\">\n<p>Searight, H. Russell. 2007. Efficient counseling techniques for the primary care physician.\u00a0<em>Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice.<\/em> 34:551\u2013570.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/understanding-hypnosis\/202202\/how-mental-stress-can-affect-physical-health\">\u00a0Original post Psychology Today\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"region__content-main-additional\">\n<div id=\"block-blogentryaboutauthor\" class=\"block block--content-main-additional\">\n<div class=\"layout-container--grid--content-main-additional\">\n<div class=\"layout-content-left-rail\">\n<h2 class=\"block-title\">About the Author<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"layout-content-main\">\n<div class=\"about-author-card\">\n<div class=\"about-author__photo\"><strong>Ran D. Anbar, M.D., FAAP,<\/strong>\u00a0is board-certified in both pediatric pulmonology and general pediatrics. He is the author of the new book\u00a0<em>Changing Children\u2019s Lives with Hypnosis: A Journey to the Center<\/em>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"about-author__copy\">\n<div class=\"about-author-online\">\n<h3 class=\"heading--inline\">Online:<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/centerpointhypnosis.com\/\">www.centerpointhypnosis.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pandemic-associated emotional and behavioral changes have impacted health KEY POINTS 65 percent of 1,000 surveyed American adults reported experiencing increased stress because of the COVID pandemic. Stress may be the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":49394,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"pmpro_default_level":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false},"categories":[139],"tags":[136,137,267,141,143,145,155,120,175,165],"class_list":["post-49393","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-life-blog","tag-ais","tag-american-institute-of-stress","tag-contentment","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-relaxation","tag-research","tag-stress","tag-stress-reduction","tag-stress-relief","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Mental Stress Can Affect Physical Health - The American Institute of Stress<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/how-mental-stress-can-affect-physical-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Mental Stress Can Affect Physical Health - The American Institute of Stress\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pandemic-associated emotional and behavioral changes have impacted health KEY POINTS 65 percent of 1,000 surveyed American adults reported experiencing increased stress because of the COVID pandemic. 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