Stress and Stroke Risk

We all know the feeling of stress is natural and unavoidable. Whether it being from suffering from the death of a loved one or dealing with workload, everyone can attest to being the victim of stress. If you find yourself regularly stressed out, you can relieve some stress by visiting a medispa. Because stress, when not properly managed may lead to some serious health problems. As a matter of fact, stress and stroke may come hand-in-hand. Read on to find out how stress may increase stroke risk.

Before we understand how stress may cause stroke, we need to first know how strokes may happen.When blood supply to your brain is disrupted, this may cause the brain to be deficit of oxygen and nutrients. There are 2 main types of strokes:

1) Ischemic stroke

When arteries are blocked or narrowed, blood flow to the brain might be severely interrupted.

2) Hemorrhagic stroke

This occurs when there is a weak spot of the wall of the blood vessel which has burst into the surrounding brain, subsequently depriving the brain of oxygen and nutrients.

How can stress contribute to the risk of stroking out?

Stress may aggravate or accentuate other risk factors of stroke such as high blood pressure. When cortisol – a stress hormone – is released due to long-term stress, this might increase blood pressure and subsequently cause hemorrhagic stroke due to the immense pressure in the brain.

Researchers have found out that stress may cause an increase in amygdalar activity, the part of the brain that is responsible for stress. The amygdala sends a signal to the bone marrow to increase production of white blood cells that can cause buildup in arteries, which contributes to ischemic strokes.

Other than high blood pressure, stress may also aggravate other risk factors of stroke such as diabetes. During stress, cortisol provides the body with glucose which acts as fuel to either fight or flee from a stressor. Long-term elevated cortisol can increase the blood sugar in the blood which contributes to diabetes.

So if you are regularly and consistently stressed out, take appropriate measures to combat your stress so that it will not contribute to your risk factors. Identify your cause of stress and and find ways to overcome it. Practice meditation to master mindfulness or start exercising regularly to reduce anxiety, stress and stroke. As we all know, a healthy body starts with a healthy mind!