Stress: hard on the heart
Cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine - at some point every one of us will turn to quick fixes for momentary stress relief.
Yet although they provide relief which is temporary, the effects on our general health - in particular on our hearts - can be lasting and dangerous.
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Top tips for dealing with stress
Judy O'Sullivan, cardiac nurse with the British Heart Foundation, describes the type of person most likely to suffer serious health problems as a result of poor stress management: ''people who lead highly stressful lives who are eating a lot on the run...you may have a lot of processed foods, for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you smoke, you drink a lot of alcohol...'' Where a lifestyle comprises largely of time spent socialising, the risk of developing heart disease can be dramatically increased. However, Judy is keen to highlight that stress is an unavoidable part of life, thus the issue is ''how you're coping with the stress...not the fact that you're stressed in the first place.''
The key to managing stress lies in finding a positive outlet, especially for stress encountered during the average working day: ''Walking at lunchtime is very good for you, so you can either sit at your desk and have a sandwich, or you can say I really need to get out of the office...if you went for a brisk walk and even 20 minutes around the block you will probably find when you get back to your desk you are in a better mental state.'' Conversely a cigarette, despite providing that immediate relief, can't offer any lasting help and certainly won't protect the heart.
Women in particular need to be very aware of stress as their risk of developing heart disease - contrary to popular belief - is higher than that of developing breast cancer . Judy warns against associating stress with the typified image of the male office worker: "It's a very stereotypical image of the man and the workplace – a man with the high powered job, bit of a belly on him and women say, oh he's going to have a heart attack, a woman in exactly the same position with a high powered job who's a bit overweight – your risk of heart disease is exactly the same.'''
And its not only employees who must take pains to understand the nature of their stress - employers too must take responsibility. Judy gives an example of the small ways in which management can be effective in helping staff tackle stress and the poor lifestyle it can shape: ''we have a sign by the lift saying don't take the lift, take the stairs and it has now become part of the working practice.'' Even simple amenities like bicycle racks and showers are fundamental as they encourage workers to incorporate some all-important physical activity into their working day.
For more information, visit the British Heart Foundation's website
