Stress: It’s Not Killing You Softly… It’s Killing Your Heart, Unseen

Stress: it’s not killing you softly…it’s killing your heart, unseen! It’s one of the top risks for heart disease and will take you out of the picture if you let it. Learn more about techniques, activities, and mindset changes you can take so heart disease won’t claim your life. We’re looking out for moms everywhere right here at Newsymom!

This is Public Health is brought to you in partnership with the Tuscarawas County Health Department.

Moms, when it comes to our heart health, we’re constantly put through the wringer. Everyday, we wake up to start a whole series of taking care of everyone else and, oftentimes, we find ourselves counting the minutes until we get a moment of peace. (Even if it’s on the toilet and only lasts three minutes.)

All of this stress we carry is killing our heart health. It’s causing our blood pressure to rise, damaging vital arteries and reducing blood flow to the heart. We know that stress kills, yet as mothers, we’re always being put in situations that test our mental and physical health everyday.

The Stresses We Endure Everyday as Moms

Part of this stress is due to us wearing so many different hats throughout the day, causing so much emotional distress and increasing our chances of high blood pressure and heart disease. (Among other things…) Carrying this load of work is killing us. 

Some of the roles we fill as mothers for our families daily are:

• Chef
• Caretaker
• Nurse
• Chauffeur
• Assistant
• Personal Shopper
• Money Manager/Accountant
• Therapist
• Housekeeper
• Party/Vacation Planner
• Teacher
• Wife (if married)

On top of the stress from the roles we fill at home, we also have these additional stressors to worry about everyday:

• Money
• Work/Business Ownership
• Bills
• Accidents
• Mom-Guilt
• Errands
• Emergencies
• COVID-19 
• Society/Government Issues

You get the picture.

If you’re still reading this, it’s because this resonates with you, and you’re ready to make sure stress isn’t what’s going to take you out of this world!

First, Let’s Check In On Your Heart Health

Practice these within your lifestyle regularly to maintain a healthy heart!

• • Make an appointment with your healthcare provider for a physical.

    Get your blood pressure checked, at least annually! (If you need help finding a provider, call the Tuscarawas County Health Department at (330) 343-5555 x. 100 to find one.)

  • Eat balanced meals

    Avoid eating too much processed food, artificial sweeteners, and other additives bad for your heart. Visit your local Farmers Market for fresh, local produce to use in your meals at home!

  • Drink water.

    The benefits are so important for the entire health of your body. So, drink up! It’s good for you.

  • Exercise

    Get that heart pumping and blood flowing to keep you healthy!

  • Be Prepared for Emergencies

    Know the symptoms and signs of heart attack, stroke, and cardiac arrest.

Next, Let’s Help Manage Your Stress With Mindset

Let’s help your mind reduce stress-invoking triggers by changing the way you think during everyday activities.

• Remember that the only thing constant is change.

  Be confident in your ability to adapt to changing conditions because it happens everyday. Nothing is forever. When you practice this, you become a pro at deflecting stress.

• Stop yourself from creating future scenarios that haven’t happened yet.

  Be present in this moment, and don’t make plans for scenarios you have no control over or that haven’t happened yet. Do what you can to solve a problem, then push it to the universe. You did what you could, and everything will unfold as it should!

• For money-related anxieties — Think of money as energy. When you exchange money for something (bills or purchases), you give and you get. You give money in exchange for heating your home so your family has a warm, safe place to wind down and be themselves. You give money in exchange for a top that makes you feel beautiful and sexy. If you view money this way, you’ll never feel the “loss” of money, but rather what it gives you and your family.

• Practice gratitude.

  When we say this, we don’t mean saying you’re grateful for things that other people DON’T have. Be grateful for the things that truly resonate with you and make YOU happy. (These are the things that give you the feeling of butterflies in your tummy.) For instance, “I’m grateful for providing safe shelter for my daughter so I can see that gorgeous smile on her face when she plays.” “I’m grateful for the nutritious, delicious meal I cooked that will nourish my body and my families’ so we can stay energized during our Snow Day activities.”

Finally, Let’s Help Manage Your Stress With Activities

Doing these activities will help unload the stress you feel everyday and soften the impact on your heart health.

• • Phone-A-Friend

    Speak with a friend you haven’t chatted with in awhile. Venting helps unleash the load you carry (and does wonders for the heart). Your pal may just need it, too!

  • Get active!

    Dance, hit the gym, practice yoga, participate in a competitive sport: do whatever will help you stick to being healthy in a way that makes sense for you. Try different activities if you haven’t found something that works for you yet!

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  • Write in a mindfulness journal and practice meditation.

    This one goes hand-in-hand with yoga, breathing techniques, and the Gratitude Mindset mentioned earlier. Be mindful about the thoughts that are crossing your mind everyday and work at changing the tune of how they sound. Write them down. You’ll be surprised to find the amount of things you worry about in a day that are beyond your control.

  • Go outside…

    Okay, this one is harder to do in the Northeast states if you don’t like the cold. For the kids, try to bundle up, build a snowman, make snow angels, and live through winter in their innocent eyes. (Get some photos and videos to reflect on these memories later!)

  • Practice Self-Care

    This looks different for every momma! It could look like a bubble bath, retail therapy, girls night, taking yourself out on a date, playing video games, enjoying your hobbies, gardening… Take time each week to love yourself. You truly deserve it!

  • Watch ASMR videos to break up the monotonous work day.

    Here’s a few to get you started: Nature ASMR, Grass-Cutting ASMR, Look at Sven’s Beautiful Mane ASMR

Putting all of these techniques, activities, and mindset changes will help you get that much closer to a less-stressful, happy life. When you take care of your mental health, you’re taking care of your heart! 

Have a heart by taking care of yours this Valentine’s Day. Call the Tuscarawas County Health Department at (330) 343-5555 x. 100 to find a provider and learn about the services they offer for you to be the healthiest you can be for you and your family.

For more information, visit the Tuscarawas County Health Department website at www.tchdnow.org or find them on Facebook (@tchdnow).

Melissa Klatt

Reporting