Stress & Heart Disease

Stress can make you feel overwhelmed or anxious, and too much of it can eventually lead to heart disease. The Go Red Challenge aims to improve women's heart health and focuses on their stress level.

Shari Langner enjoys working as an attorney and spending time with family.  She's also under a lot of stress.

"I can be a worry wart so things that aren't really stressors stress me.  And then there's the real-life stuff that actually does stress me," Langner said.

Stress can not only impact your mental health but also your physical health, including your heart health.

"High levels of stress hormones, like adrenaline, can lead to this specific condition, which can lead to weakening of the heart and congestive heart failure," Sanford Cardiologist Dr. Maria Stys said.

Dr. Maria Stys says if you have a problem with too much stress, you should take steps to prevent it.

"We have to eat appropriately, rest, exercise and sleep," Stys said.

Besides adopting healthy habits, you should also ask for help if you feel overwhelmed.

"We should not feel like super heroes and always ask for help, especially women. I know life depends on us and we take care of our family, but we need to take care of ourselves," Stys said.

That's something Langner is working on as she turns 50-years-old and reaches a new milestone in her life.

"I'm going to have my first grandbaby in June. I probably just outed my kid and I want to be an active grandma. I want to be the grandma who takes them to do fun things," Langner said.

Stys says if you can't deal with stress yourself, you should seek professional help.