Stress can increase the risk of a stroke
Being constantly stressed for a year or more can increase the risk of having a stroke, reports The Guardian.
In a research study funded by the Swedish research council and the Swedish Stroke Association, researchers found that out of the 566 stroke patients asked about stress in the past five years, most of them acknowledged they had felt permanently under stress for at least the previous year if not more.
It has not yet been established if the increased risk is caused by the stress itself or the unhealthy behaviours such as smoking and drinking that are brought on by stress. We often feel more likely to get ill when we’re under pressure or run down, demonstrating that our mood often has an overwhelming effect on our health.
Studies have already found links between stress and coronary artery disease, even suggesting that stressed people might be more at risk of heart attacks. The results can be explained by the physical effects stress has on your body. Stress hormones cause your blood pressure to raise and your heart to beat faster, which increases the pressure on your arteries. Long term this could put you more at risk of a stroke.