Recession Proof your Heart

The recession has brought a lot of stress into people’s lives leaving a healthy heart at risk! Now is the time to take a few extra steps to make sure your heart makes it through the recession with the rest of your body!

Some of the main factors that affect a person’s heart are stress, anxiety, elevated blood pressure, and depression, all things common with the affects of the recession! Dealing with the increasing financial uncertainties can be devastating on ones health and heart. Because of this it is even more important now, than ever before, to pay extra close attention to your general health and the health of your heart! There is a lot you can do to help protect your heart and improve your health without causing you more stress to your already drained wallet.

Start off by limiting your stress. There is no reason to continually subject yourself to bad news. Stop looking at your 401K and investments daily. Believe it or not, your body reacts chemically each time you subject yourself to stress creating hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. If you are already at risk of heart disease an increase of these hormones can be very risky if not deadly.

Get your body moving. Exercise is important anyhow, but when stress levels are heightened it is not only important, it is a must! Get out and walk, do jumping jacks, run stairs – it doesn’t matter what, just do it!

Make sure you get enough sleep! Often times with so many other things running through our brains it is hard to get a good night sleep, yet it is imperative that you do! Sleep is the time when your body restores itself; lack of it will result in your body draining itself more and more each day. Not only that, lack of sleep can add more stress to your life by causing more stress and unnecessary oversights.

Stay away from the junk food! Eat healthy and make sure you eat regular meals! Do not fall into the trap of depression eating, or under eating due to depression. If you have to, make yourself eat even if it is an apple and work your way up!

Keep your spirits in check. It is common for the affects of the recession to bring on varying levels of depression. Depression not only affects a person’s outlook on life, but also the health of their heart. It is important to know the signs of depression within yourself and loved ones to get it in check before it takes over. If you or a loved one begins to have prolonged periods of sadness, a loss of interest in things they typically enjoy, signs of sleeplessness, anxiety, loss of concentration, or at worse, thoughts of suicide seek medical help immediately. Do not allow the recession to beat you or your heart through depression!

Now is not the time to be trying to drown your sorrows in alcohol either! Alcohol is a depressant, and when one is not already in a very positive mood, alcohol only compounds the problems, plus it is not good for your body.

Try to maintain a routine, it will help you to keep feeling in control of the direction of your life.

No matter how tight your budget may be, if you are on prescription maintenance medicine, make sure you take it as prescribed. That is not optional and something that should never be considered as a option. If you find you cannot afford your meds any longer, talk to your doctor. They may be able to give you samples to help you get through the hard times or give you other options.

And last but not least, learn to relax! I know, easier said than done at times, but again, necessary. Take some time to focus on nothing else in your life but the good things, the blessings, both small and big. And smile!

Sure, none of these will make the recession go away, but they will help your heart and your soul get through it much easier and healthier.