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How Much Does Worrying Hurt?

by Brick ONeil

roses.jpgAttitude is everything. Get all worked up about stuff and your ticker pays part of the price.

But cultivate a “this too shall pass” attitude and you may help protect yourself from heart and blood vessel trouble — maybe even something as serious as a heart attack.

Before and After
Anxiety is so hard on the heart that it also affects a person’s prognosis after diagnosis with heart disease. Highly anxious people with heart disease are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack or die compared with their more mellow-minded peers.

Walk Away from the Worry Whammy
But there’s good news, too. Anxious people who learn how to mellow out can undo some of that potential damage. Exercises like walking or lifting weights do wonders for an unsettled mind.

How to help yourself relax:

When you are anxious, you tend to breathe shallowly, using your upper chest muscles. Your breathing can become extremely rapid and erratic, leading to hyperventilation. Controlled breathing is a technique that you can use to counteract this stress response and induce a state of calm within 3 to 5 minutes. Try this simple technique, using the following steps:
Lie on your back, placing one hand over your heart and the other on your abdomen.
Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for a count of 4.
Watch the hand on your abdomen rise as you fill your lungs with air, expanding your chest. (The hand over your heart should barely move, if at all.)
Hold your breath for a count of 4.
Exhale slowly through the mouth or nose for a count of 4.
Repeat for 10 full breaths. Work up to 2 or 3 sets of 10 breaths each.
Keep the following guidelines in mind while practicing controlled breathing:
Stop if you feel faint or dizzy.
Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose.
Exhale slowly through the mouth or nose.
Breathe in a smooth, regular pattern.
Concentrate while inhaling on filling the lower portion of the lungs.

For more relaxation techniques, browse Encouraging Health.

stress, worry, breathing techniques

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Posted in General on February 17th, 2008

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EncouragingHealth.com shows a wide variety of issues and concerns about our health we all should be aware. Only when we are aware will we be able to make the necessary changes.

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