The last 2 weeks we have talked about things we can do to help us live with PlaySpan until we are striving to be 100+ years old. Through strength and conditioning efforts that are smart, safe, and aligned with our list of 10 fitness feats of strength and cardio, we can all make our ideal age….but we can’t forget about a silent slaying that’s a part of our lives.
Anxiety
Yes that’s right! Anxiety and stress accounts for more and more heart disease than ever these days with social media pressures and other media pushing to do more, look a certain way or feel a certain way.
The 4 big areas of early death are
-Heart Disease
-Cancer
-Type-2 Diabetes
-Neurodegenerative Disease
and add stress and anxiety to the list.
Let’s look at the numbers first before we jump into simple ways to steer away from stress:
*More than half of all cases of heart disease are not related to common risk factors of high cholesterol, smoking, or inactivity
(Integration of Physiology and Behavior Science, 1993, vol 28)
*A Mayo Clinic study of people with Heart Disease, emotional stress was the strongest single predictor of further problems, such as heart attack or cardiac arrest ( Mayo Clinic Proceedings 1995, vol 70)
*Three separate studies have shown that stress is more closely related to heart disease, and to cancer, than smoking is. (British Journal of Medicine, 1988, vol 61)
*A study conducted at Harvard showed that men who experience elevated chronic anxiety are 6x more likely to suffer sudden heart attacks.
(Circulation, 1994, vol. 89)
That is certainly some facts that jump out at you!…but there are simple ways to attack these risks with solutions that are all around us. First I would say contacting a medical professional is a good start along with these helpful tips:
1. Hit the Beach.
It has been found the sounds of the ocean, the fresh air, and the blue color of the water all have effects on reducing
a. Stress
b. Anxiety
c. Mood calming
d. Reduce depression
2. Belly Breathing
Laying on a nice floor, grassy meadow :), or just a quiet place with a little as 5 minutes of Belly Breathing will:
a. Lower Blood Pressure
b. Stress levels
c. Pain Management
d. Better sleep
e. Better Breathing
3.Walking in the Woods in Nature
Hitting a trail, hiking up a mountain, or just getting lost a little in the woods can bring you
a. Better mood
b. Increased focus
c. Elevated creativity
d. Immune system boost
Stress and anxiety are silent killers and can affect everyone and anyone. Be proactive Rockstar Nation for your health that we can’t see in the mirror!
Stay Strong.
-Jake Cheney
Rockstar Fitness, LLC.
References:
What Happy People Know. How the New Science of Happiness Can Change Your Life for the Better.
Dan Baker, Ph.D and Cameron Stauth. c. 2004