A new study has found that certain mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, and insomnia may increase the risk of heart disease. Various factors are believed to increase an individual’s risk of heart disease, ranging from genetics and ethnicity to lifestyle factors, such as smoking and lack of exercise.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States, accounting for 1 in every 5 deaths.
And while heart disease is often associated with older individuals, the researchers in this study wanted to explore the link in earlier years and saw risk was also elevated for those in their 20s and 30s.
Mental Health Disorders Linked To Greater Risk Of Heart Disease
The authors of the study looked for people between the ages of 20 and 39 in the National Health Insurance Service database. They were left with 6,557,727 adults after excluding those with a history of myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack or stroke. All of these adults underwent health examinations between 2009 and 2012.
- There were 856,927 people in this group, or 13.1%, who had at least one mental health condition, and almost half of them (47.9%) were anxious.
- Depression and insomnia affected 21.2 percent and 20 percent of the remaining participants, respectively.
- Different worries included bipolar turmoil, dietary issues, post-awful pressure problem (PTSD), and substance use jumble.
Risk Profile Associations with Sex And Age
The researchers also looked into how the results varied by gender and age. Anxiety, depression, personality disorders, or schizophrenia were associated with a higher risk of heart attack in people in their 20s than in their 30s. He stated to Healthline that individuals of this age “are frequently in a period of transition, such as starting a new job, attending a new educational institution, or moving to a new city.” This may aggravate mental health symptoms and be stressful.
Why Mental Health May Influence Heart Disease
Experts believe poor mental well-being may influence heart health in various ways. That said, it’s important to understand that having a mental health problem may increase the risk of developing heart disease.
Oxidative stress
In essence, oxidative stress is the body’s imbalance of antioxidants and free radicals, he explained. Antioxidants can disrupt the balance of free radicals in your body, causing a variety of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Inflammation
Inflammation and mental health have a somewhat cyclical relationship: Mental problems can prompt irritation, while higher aggravation has been connected to expanded riskTrusted Wellspring of fostering an emotional well-being concern.
High blood pressure and cholesterol
Studies have found those with depressionTrusted Source and PTSDTrusted Source are at more serious gamble of worse hypertension, while others have connected uneasiness and schizophreniaTrusted Source to expanded cholesterol.
Lifestyle Choices To Reduce Heart Diseases Risk
Some beneficial steps to consider adopting include:
- Get a good night’s rest. Quality sleep is vital for mental and heart health. Aim for 7 to 8 hours each night, and put screens away an hour before bedtime.
- Reduce stress. Segal said that engaging in yoga, meditation, or deep breathing activities can help manage stress and reduce CVD risk.
- Follow a healthy diet. Eating a diet rich in fruit and veg, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins. He also suggested limiting your sugar, salt and processed food intake.