Cardiovascular health is directly affected by our emotions. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “A 2002 University of California, San Francisco meta-analysis of the relationship between depression and heart disease indicated that people with clinical depression had a 2.7% increased risk of getting heart disease.”

Positivity: Having a positive attitude will help deal with many stressful situation and is proven to help manage other health problems. A University of Pittsburgh study from 2004 suggested that less optimistic people had a swifter progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Discuss Problems: Talk about your emotions with a trusted friend. If you feel like you may need some more help than a friend can offer, consider seeing a professional to help you discover how to handle your emotions.

Ladies Health: If you’re female, it is especially important to manage your emotional health. Women tend to have more problems with depression, according to WebMD, woman suffer from depression at a much higher rate than men. 

Sleep Matters: Getting 7-8 hours will help you cope with problems more easily, and has the added benefit of being good for your entire body!

Diet and Exercise: The first line of defense against health problems is exercising at least 30 minutes 3 times per week. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy proteins will keep you on track to optimum wellbeing!

Take care of your ticker by managing your emotions!