Stress is a universal experience. Whether from school, family, friends or life, it’s a regular part of being human. Despite overstimulation and doomscrolling becoming normalized, it’s worth noting that too much stress can seriously harm your body. Recent studies show that high levels of stress might increase your risk of having a stroke, which is a medical emergency that can change your life in a matter of minutes.
Why Early Detection Matters
Strokes are serious health risks that shouldn’t be ignored. While many things can cause these events, stress is one risk factor people often ignore. Long-term stress can hurt the body – especially the heart and brain. But making smart lifestyle choices, keeping regular doctor’s visits, and finding healthy ways to manage stress can reduce the risk of experiencing a stroke.
While it’s not always possible to prevent a stroke, identifying the signs that someone is experiencing or has experienced one early on can lead to faster interventions which can prevent wide spread damage and the heightened risk of death associated with untreated stroke events.
Clinical Pharmacist, Dr. Diana Rangaves, “Chronic stress sticks around for weeks or months, quietly wearing down your body and mind. When stress is unmanaged, it can lead to impairment of well-being, leading to issues in both mental and physical health.“
Protecting the mind and body isn’t just about feeling good today, but staying healthy for years to come.
A stroke occurs when blockages in the blood vessels prevent blood flow to the brain or when a blood vessel bursts. The brain needs oxygen and nutrients to work correctly; blood is essential for delivering them. When the brain doesn’t get enough blood, even for a few minutes, brain cells can start to die.
There are two main types of strokes. Ischemia is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel (this is the most common type). People also experience hemorrhagic strokes, which take place when a burst blood vessel leads to bleeding in the brain. Both of these can cause serious problems like paralysis, trouble speaking or understanding speech, memory loss, vision problems and trouble with balance or walking. In some cases, a stroke can lead to death or long-term disabilities. That’s why knowing the risks and how to prevent them is so important.
Several factors can increase stroke risk, such as:
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Obesity (being very overweight)
- Not getting enough exercise
- Poor diet
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Family history of stroke
But what about stress? Research suggests that chronic (long-lasting) stress and affiliated mental health disorders like depression can also contribute to increasing stroke risk.
Stress affects not just the mind but the entire body. When people are stressed, hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released. Normally, these hormones are released in short bursts to help people survive quick circumstances such as being in danger and needing to act fast. But sustained stress that lasts for days, weeks, or even years causes those hormones to stay in the body for too long and can be damaging.
Chronic stress can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems, poor sleep, weakened immune system and overall unhealthy habits (like overeating, smoking, drinking or skipping exercise). All of these effects can raise stroke risk.
Scientists have found that people who experience high levels of stress are more likely to suffer a stroke. In one 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Open Network, researchers found that people who experienced severe work stress were twice as likely to have an ischaemic stroke and over five times as likely to have a hemorrhagic stroke compared to those who didn’t.
Another 2021 study showed that people with anger or emotional outbursts were more likely to experience a stroke within an hour of the episode. Stress seems to trigger strokes by increasing blood pressure and damaging blood vessels over time. Even emotional trauma, like the loss of a loved one or going through a divorce, can raise your stroke risk if it leads to long-term stress.
Can a stroke lead to other health problems?
Having a stroke can also increase the chances of developing dementia, depression, anxiety, heart disease or repeat episodes. Prevention isn’t just about avoiding a single event – it’s about embracing lifelong changes to preserve health.
The good news is that there are many ways to minimize stroke risk, including better managing stress. Here are some essential tips:
- Learn to manage stress: Incorporating mindfulness techniques can be effective. Try deep breathing, meditation, journaling, talking to a friend or doing something creative like art or music. Even just getting enough sleep can make a big difference.
- Exercise regularly: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get at least 150 active minutes daily. This can easily translate to 30 minutes a day for five days a week, including low-impact activities like walking, biking or dancing.
- Eat a healthy diet: Focus on healthier choices such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Avoid too much salt, sugar, and processed foods.
- Attend regular wellness visits: Regular checkups can catch problems early, like high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
- Take medications if needed: If a doctor prescribes medicine for blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes, take it as directed.
- Quit smoking and limit alcohol: Both smoking and drinking too much can increase stroke risk.
Stroke Signs to Watch For
Strokes can happen in an instant, with both subtle and obvious signs that a person is in physical distress. The American Heart Association recommends people be aware of the F.A.S.T. warning signs as well as other symptoms that might suggest someone just suffered a stroke. Here’s what to look for.
1. Face Drooping
If a person’s face looks like one side is numb or drooping, or their smile looks dramatically lopsided, they might have suffered a stroke.
2. Arm Weakness
Having one arm that’s weak or numb, with an inability to control motion in any direction can indicate a stroke may have occurred.
3. Speech Difficulty
Another telltale sign of possible stroke is slurred speech.
4. Time to Call 911
Urgency matters when responding to a stroke. If there’s any suspicion that a person just suffered or is actively experiencing a stroke, call for emergency care immediately. Be sure to note when symptoms first appeared to provide a timeline so doctors can determine how long damage has been present.
5. Other Symptoms to Watch
The F.A.S.T. symptoms are designed to get people quickly to medical care who might have experienced a stroke, but they’re not the only potential signs. Confusion, numbness or weakness in one side of the body, difficulty seeing in one or both eyes, extreme sleepiness, dizziness or loss of balance and coordination, and even severe headache with no known cause are all causes for concern.
Related Questions
How do you tell if it’s a stroke or anxiety?
While anxiety can cause physical symptoms like a fast heartbeat, trembling, and shortness of breath, an anxiety attack rarely leads to the symptoms associated with stroke such as numbness, speech difficulty, vision problems, and other neurological concerns.
Can High Cortisol cause stroke?
Sustained high cortisol levels can eventually encourage a stroke because high stress can increase blood pressure, which can create more damage on the blood vessel walls. Likewise, it can lead to developing blood clots and even inflammation.
What are 85% of strokes caused by?
85% of strokes are ischemic, meaning that a blocked artery cuts off blood flow to portions of the brain.
Can you stop a stroke in progress?
Unfortunately, you can’t stop a stroke in progress. The best solution is to seek immediate medical attention if you think someone is experiencing a stroke.
Bottom Line
Strokes are caused by damage to the blood vessels or clots which cause blood to not reach critical parts of the body like the brain. Although they can’t be stopped once they begin, knowing the signs so people can identify them and seek immediate attention can be a vital part of helping someone receive essential aid and minimize the potential physical and neurological damage that can occur.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if your body is under stress for too long?
Staying stressed for extended periods can lead to chronic health problems. These may include high blood pressure, weakened heart health, digestive issues, and mental health problems like anxiety or depression. Over time, this stress can also damage blood vessels and increase the chances of having a stroke.
What percentage of strokes are caused by stress?
While stress is not the only cause of strokes, it plays a role in many cases. Studies suggest that 30%–50% of strokes may be linked to stress-related factors like emotional strain.
Are there warning signs days before a stroke?
There can be warning signs. Some people experience mini-strokes (also called TIAs, or transient ischemic attacks) before a major stroke. These can include sudden confusion, temporary trouble speaking, sudden weakness in the face, arms, or leg,s and dizziness or balance problems. If these symptoms happen, see a doctor immediately, even if they go away.