The Mind-Heart Connection! How mental wellness benefits your heart

For ages, people have associated their hearts with thinking, emotions and feelings like love and anger. The heart is one organ of our body that responds to changes in our thinking processes and feelings almost instantaneously.Remember, the palpitations and pounding heart when you feel anxious or fearful or the racing and sweetly aching heart when somebody is in love. So in a nutshell, it won't be wrong to say that our heart is closely linked to our mental health and wellness. Stress, anxiety and depression can affect heart health if they remain unchecked and untreated for a long time.

Stress and anxiety result in the release of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine in the body, which if remained elevated for a long time may result in high blood pressure and low blood flow to the heart which puts a lot of pressure on the heart. In the long run, these physiologic changes can lead to deposition of calcium in the arteries and consequent heart and metabolic disorders. So it’s vital to take care of your mental wellness to have a healthy heart.

One can take a few simple steps to improve one’s mental well-being so that the heart also remains healthy. Read on!

1. Eat healthy: Having proper meals is vital for good mental and heart health.

2. Exercise regularly:At least 45 minutes of exercise 3-5 times a week is recommended for good heart health.

3. Yoga/pranayam: They are very beneficial for mental health and heart health, so experts recommend including deep breathing exercises and yoga in your daily routine.

4. Meditation: Mindfulness meditationsare proven to be beneficial for mental well-being and consequently for your heart health.

5. Take it easy/unwind/relax:Experts say that it's very important to find hobbies which help you relax, unwind and reduce stress levels.

6. Family and friends time: Spending quality time with loved ones has been shown to be a stress-buster apart from improving your bonding and relationships.

7. Learn to prioritise:It helps to organise your day and life thus reducing stress.

Taking these steps along with adopting a positive attitude to life, gratefulness and exploring spirituality can go a long way to improve one’s mental wellness which would ensure that your heart remains healthy.

(With inputs fromDr Madhusudan Singh Solanki, Senior Psychiatrist & Head, Department of Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital Saket, New Delhi)

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