Controlling Stress
For most people,
stress is a fact of life.
When you are faced with stress, your body
releases certain hormones. These hormones
trigger many changes in your body.
 Your heart may pound.
 Your blood pressure may rise.
 Your stomach may become tense.
 Your muscles may tighten.
These changes usually last only until the
stressful event passes, and then your body
returns to normal. If the stress lasts any length
of time, your body adjusts to the stress. This
adjustment can contribute to hypertension,
shortness of breath, muscle and joint pain,
depression, feeling tired, and other
problems.
Stress and heart failure
Stress and heart failure affect each other.
Stress may make the symptoms of your heart
failure worse. You may be sad or frustrated
and feel more stressed because you have been
diagnosed with heart failure. Stress also is
known to make the symptoms of your heart
failure worse.
only one type of stress or one stressor at a
time. In many cases, one type of stress can
lead to other stressors or even magnify the
effects of existing stressors.
Physical stressors
Physical stressors increase your body’s
demand for energy.
EXAMPLES
• picking up your grandchild for the first time
• grocery shopping. If your body isn't prepared
to deal with this demand you may
~ get more tired
~ have sore muscles
~ have shortness of breath or other
symptoms of heart failure
Mental and emotional stressors
Emotional stress and anxiety make your heart
work harder. This can make symptoms worse.
That is why you and your caregivers need to
work together to keep stress under control.
Mental stressors lead to an emotional reaction.
These reactions can range from pleasant to
uncomfortable.
EXAMPLES
• seeing a child get married
• starting a new job
Common types of stress
• frustration because heart failure prevents
Regardless of the type of stress, the changes in
you from doing things you have always done
your body remain the same. Few people have
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This is for education only. Ask your own doctor any questions you have about your health. © 2008 by Vanderbilt University.
All rights reserved. Vanderbilt Medical Center Patient & Family Centered Care HC-0025 06/09
Environmental stressors
Environmental stressors are a part of your
surroundings. They could be almost anything.
EXAMPLES
• secondhand smoke
• uneven sidewalks that make it difficult
to walk
• loud noise that affects your sleep
Controlling your stress
Stress is a part of life. Learning ways to
manage stress can help you feel better both
physically and emotionally. Many strategies
for managing stress are effective. It is important to find several that work for you.
Remember, learning to manage your stress is
a step toward your doctor’s goals for you.
Steps to gain control over stress
worked in other situations and try it again.
• Do something fun on a regular basis. It
might be listening to music, fishing, woodworking, or reading. Smoking a cigarette,
drinking a glass of wine or a cup of coffee
actually increase the body's stress response.
These strategies do not soothe tension.
• Set limits and learn to say "No." Do not
promise too much. Give yourself enough time
to get things done.
• Try to be more flexible.
• Get close to somebody.
• Remember to laugh!
• Get professional help if you feel like you are
not able to make these changes. Consider a
mental health professional or someone from
your church.
• Join a support group. You might find one for
people with heart disease, for women, for
men, for retired persons or some other group
that you would enjoy.
• Get plenty of sleep. It helps you feel
energized to cope with the day ahead.
• Eat a balanced diet. It will help keep you
alert and on the ball.
• Exercise regularly. Taking a walk can be a
great way to let off steam and have a break.
• Identify the sources of your stress.
Remember, it may not be your heart failure. It
may be another stressor that you have ignored.
• Divide this list of stressors into things you
can and can’t control. Learn to accept things
you can't change. You do not have to solve all
of life's problems.
• If you know that certain situations will
bother you, develop ways to deal with them
before they happen. Think about what has
Patient & Family Centered Care HC-0025 06/09
Goals for your doctor's
treatment plan for you
• prevent the disease from
getting worse quickly
• improve how you feel
• possibly live a longer life
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