Stress Less for a Healthier Heart

I know being physically active and eating healthy is good for my heart, but how does stress affect my heart?

We’ve all heard eating healthy and getting enough exercise is good for our heart, but did you know mental health can impact your heart, too? Research shows that conditions like chronic stress, depression and anxiety can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. The good news is there are ways we can improve our mental well-being and help our heart*.

How stress affects our heart health
Too often, stress is considered a cost of having an active and productive life. But over time, stress can lead to serious health problems such as:
• High blood pressure
• Increased risk of heart disease
• Obesity
• Mental and emotional problems

Are you overly stressed?
Ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I feeling stressed?
What is stressful for one person may not be for another. Sometimes, your stress can be managed by how you look at the situation. One driver stuck in traffic might get angry, while another might use the opportunity to listen to music.

2. Do I have control over the situation?
Sometimes you do. If you cannot control the situation, can you control your reaction or response to it?

3. How do I choose to respond?
Ask yourself, “does it really matter”? Is it something that’s going to affect you in the long run? If it isn’t, why worry about it?

Here a few other ways to help you keep the stress out of everyday life.

Just breathe and keep moving
There are many simple things you can do anywhere, anytime you’re feeling tense. When you’re able to relax, you reduce anxious feelings and regain calm and balance — which in turn helps your heart. Try these:
• Deep breathing
• Guided meditation
• Simple boxing moves

Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Learn how to cope
Most Florida Blue Medicare members have access to our digital mental well-being program called meQuilibrium**. This self-guided program improves coping skills and helps with mental well-being — something we can all use right now. If you’re Florida

Blue Medicare member, you’ll find the meQuilibrium in My Health LinkTM , your member account, under Find & Get Care section in the Mental Well-Being tab. Log in to floridablue.com/medicare to get started.

Additional resources
• New Directions Behavioral Health offers a resource center with information and self-help tools for stress and mental well-being.

• This American Heart Association article provides good information about how stress can affect our mental health and steps we can take to manage it.

We’ll never eliminate stress, but we can prevent long-term health problems by training our body and mind to react positively to whatever life throws at us.

Florida Blue
352-353-3399
Dell Richards

*All decisions that require or pertain to independent professional medical/clinical judgement or training, or the need for medical services, are solely the member’s responsibility and the responsibility of their physicians and other health care providers.

**meQuilibrium is an independent company contracted by Florida Blue to provide health and wellness services and resources to members. This benefit is available to Florida Blue Medicare members in 2022 Medicare Advantage plans.