psyco facts Emotional stress, depression, dizziness, sleeplessness are all symptoms of heartbreak but are there effects of heartbreak on the heart? Read on to discover how all of the above impacts the heart, what to watch out for, and how to fix it all. If you are suffering from heartbreak, you may be experiencing all kinds of new feelings.
It is completely normal, remember it will pass, that being said, longterm symptoms of heartbreak can put a strain on your heart. Knowing the signs and symptoms is important if you want to stay healthy when going through a broken heart syndrome.
5 Unknown Effects Of Heartbreak On The Heart
Knowing the signs of a broken heart is important to help you understand how it indirectly affects your heart. Stress, depression, not sleeping enough, not eating well, crying, dizziness, and distraction are all signs that you are heartbroken. Below, we will take a look at how each of these signs affects your body and heart.
Stress
Long-term stress can cause life-threatening side effects on your heart due to the fact that stress releases a hormone called cortisol. According to Rochester Research Center, having high levels of cortisol in your system may lead to the development of plaque in your heart arteries.
The study also shows that when the body stores cortisol long-term, it causes cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides levels to rise. Although heartbreak does not directly affect the heart, cortisol caused by stress can cause all of the above which leads to heart problems.
We recommend finding ways to keep your body stress free when going through heartbreak to prevent any or all of the above. Activities like swimming, dancing, walking, or talking to a psychologist are all ways to help you stay stress-free. RELATED: 50 Mind Blowing Psychological Facts About Love That Will Make You Think Twice
Depression
Similar to stress, depression is one of the main signs of heartbreak in most people. Some people seem to bounce back from depression faster than others while others have symptoms for months or even years after a heartbreak. According to Hopkins Medicine, people who are depressed for longer will experience something known as sticky platelets.
This is when the tiny cells in your blood become very sticky. When this happens, it can cause your arteries walls to harden and if left untreated, it can in some cases lead to a heart attack. We recommend getting help if you feel that you are depressed to prevent heart problems.
RELATED: 20 Mind-Blowing Psychology Facts About One Sided Love
Lack Of Sleep
People who are suffering from a broken heart tend to have a lot of sleepless nights. This is very common and can go on for months. According to this post on NHS, not getting the right amount of sleep or not sleeping for days on end can put a strain on your heart. It also states that sleep deprivation can lead to high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and inflammation of the heart.
We highly recommend that you get enough sleep whenever you can to keep your body healthy through this tough time.
Not Eating Well
Not eating well or staying without nutritional foods for a long period of time can put a strain on your heart. Heartbreak causes most people to go without food for days if not weeks. According to Northwestern Medicine, self-starvation or staying without food for long can cause your body to lose important nutrients and vitamins.
Depleted vitamins and nutrients can lead to a weaker heart and prevent adequate blood circulation to the rest of the body. We recommend that you prevent all of the above by eating at least 2 meals per day when going through heartbreak.
Crying
Crying uncontrollably or for long periods can cause dehydration. Crying causes your body to lose fluids. According to Viveve, dehydration causes your heart to work harder when trying to pump blood to the rest of your body. Not only will dehydration cause your heart to beat irregular heartbeat but also make your blood thicken.
When your blood thickens, it makes your blood vessels walls to thicken, this leads to hypertension and high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be very dangerous when left untreated.
We recommend drinking a lot of water when going through heartbreak to keep your body healthy and prevent all of the above.
Conclusion
Now you understand the effects of heartbreak on the heart and what you need to do to prevent the side effects. Remember that heartbreak can cause changes to your everyday routine and to your body as well. This is normal and will pass but make sure to seek help if you feel that your body cannot handle these changes.
