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    • Stick to a routine, listen to others, and other tips for coping with choices
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    Stick to a routine, listen to others, and other tips for coping with choices

    Online Niel Posted on

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    Angry outbursts, lack of motivation and poor eating habits may be signs of election stress that will put some people at greater risk of cardiovascular problems this week, experts and research suggest.

    Phoenix cardiologist Dr. Abed Asfour said he is prepared to see an increase in the number of people seeking treatment for heart problems in the days following the election.

    The electoral stress, says Asfour, is real. That’s because stress can increase hormones like adrenaline and cortisol and lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure, according to Asfour, who is the medical director of the Cardiovascular Service Line for Dignity Health in Arizona.

    “When these symptoms persist, it can put a patient at risk for a heart attack or stroke, among other life-threatening complications,” he said.

    The risks are especially high for anyone with an underlying condition, such as sleep apnea, or who engages in behavior that puts additional stress on physical health, such as smoking or eating poorly, Asfour said.

    “Any emotionally charged event that is accompanied by an unhealthy lifestyle could increase the chance of cardiac events,” he said.

    Signs of a cardiac event include chest pain, an irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath that is out of proportion to the activity you’re doing — or if any of these symptoms occur while you’re at rest, he said.

    Study warns of cardiovascular risk during ‘notable political events’

    An April 2022 study Researchers at Kaiser Permanente California found that the hospitalization rate for acute cardiovascular disease for 6.4 million adults enrolled in two large health care systems, Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Kaiser Permanente Northern California, was 17 % higher in the five days that followed. The 2020 US presidential election compared to the same five-day period two weeks earlier.

    The study findings, published in JAMA Network Open“suggests that increased cardiovascular disease risk awareness and risk mitigation strategies are needed during notable political events,” the authors wrote.

    “If you go to the physiology of the heart and the impact of what stress does to the heart, it increases heart rate, blood pressure. It increases inflammation,” Asfour said. “All of these things also contribute to an increased chance of an event happening, such as a plaque rupture leading to a heart attack.”

    Behaviors people engage in during times of stress, such as smoking or drinking heavily, increase the risk of a cardiovascular event, Asfour said.

    “How do we as individuals take care of ourselves over a long period of time? It dictates or implies how we will react to the type of stress we are exposed to,” Asfour said.

    As for “quick fixes,” since election day is already here, Asfour advises eating healthy, not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and if you’re feeling stressed, take a walk.

    “In general, it’s good practice to try to practice relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga and any form of activity that can give people peace to help them break out of the cycle of stress,” he said.

    Expert: Show respect, compassion for those with different opinions

    In addition to affecting cardiovascular health, stress can cause fatigue, headaches, and upset stomachs. It can also threaten relationships and mental health.

    American Psychological Association “Stress in America 2024: A Nation in Political Turmoil” The report found that nearly 70 percent of adults surveyed said the U.S. presidential election was a “significant source of stress” in their lives. That percentage was slightly higher than it was in the 2020 presidential election and significantly higher than in the 2016 presidential race, the report said.

    Eighty-two percent of the 3,305 U.S. voters surveyed worried that people might base their values ​​and opinions on false or inaccurate information, and nearly a third of adults reported that the political climate caused tension between them and their family members . About 30 percent said they limit their time with family because they don’t share the same values, the report said.

    Rodrigo Olivares, director of the Call Center at the EMPACT Suicide Prevention Center in Tempe, suggests practicing respect when family members and others express political views that differ from yours. Understand that everyone has a different perspective on situations and practice compassion and tolerance, he said.

    “Avoiding this argument is fine when you can,” he said. “Sometimes just listening is enough. Sometimes someone just wants to be heard and the best response is silence.”

    Whenever there is a national event, there is a greater number of people contacting the call center, said Olivares, whose call center is operated by La Frontera Arizona.

    “It’s fair to say we see more calls around the election,” he said. “Life brings a lot of different challenges and this is just one more element that could have an impact.”

    Stick to a routine and know how you don’t want to cope

    Olivares recommends that anyone experiencing mental distress call 9-8-8, the national suicide and crisis hotline. Callers do not have to kill themselves to get help from 988, Olivares stressed.

    Vibrant Emotional Health, which operates the 988 line, has other tips for election anxiety and stress, including:

    • Stick to routines. Even if you don’t feel like going to work, studying or exercising as usual, stick to your routine as much as possible. Routines ground us in the here and now and remind us of things within our control that don’t need to change.
    • Seek social support. Talk about your thoughts and feelings with others. Take time to share experiences that can help you cope with your emotions or temporarily distract you from them so you can relax.
    • Consider limiting or balancing election-related media exposure. Be aware of how your media habits may be affecting your sleep or mood.
    • You know how you not I want to deal with it. Practice being aware of things that might lead to negative behaviors and emotions. When you are angry, stressed, or overwhelmed, do you tend to get into fights, drink too much alcohol, call in sick at work, hurt yourself or others, or overeat/undereat? These are just a few examples of things you might end up regretting.
    • Take compassionate and caring actions to support others. Be the one to help a friend in crisis or a stranger in need.

    Connect with health reporter Stephanie Innes at [email protected] or follow X, previously Twitter: @stephanieinnes.

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