lso depend on the cause of your stress. For example, for money worries, you could get financial advice from government-backed charity Money Advice Service. Visit moneyadviceservice.org.uk or call the free helpline on 0800 138 7777.
Dr Capek advises trying to establish a stress-free space – even if it’s a public library or a place where you go for a walk. “Ensure you have your own time in a non-stressful place, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day.”
This may be more difficult for carers. “There’s often the fear of leaving your loved one alone or with someone else, but no one can do a 24/7 job,” says Dr Capek. “Make sure your GP knows you’re a carer, as they may be able to offer additional support, such as specialist nurses or social services you can use. Also, make sure you know the benefits you’re entitled to so there’s less of a financial burden on you.”
BHF stress research
We’ve funded several studies to help discover how stress itself affects your heart.
In one BHF-funded study, at King’s College London, researchers found people’s heart rate and blood pressure increased when they did a mental arithmetic test, reflecting an increase in oxygen demand by the heart muscle. For those with coronary heart disease, blood flow in the coronary arteries failed to increase to meet that demand, and blood was less able to flow through small vessels in the heart. Although this was only a small study, it tells us more about how mental stress can affect people with heart disease, which could lead to new treatments.
We’ve also funded Professor Thomas Brand and his team at Imperial College London to look at proteins in cell membranes that play a role in how the heart reacts to stress, for example by increasing the heart rate. Understanding how the heart adapts to stress may reveal new ways to treat patients suffering from heart failure or abnormal heart rhythms.