Reframing our Perception of Stress to Support Heart Health
By Erin Pettygrove
If you’ve ever felt your chest tighten before a difficult conversation, noticed your heart race before a big presentation, or realized you’ve been holding your breath during a stressful moment, it’s not a coincidence. Stress directly affects our cardiovascular health, especially when the stress is chronic.
The topic of stress is timely as more people report feeling overwhelmed by ongoing pressures they can’t easily eliminate. From political tensions to financial uncertainty, many of our stressors are unavoidable, therefore increasing the need to learn tools to manage or reframe our stress.
“Stress is part of being engaged in a meaningful life,” says Sarah Meyer Tapia, PhD, head of the Stress Management pillar of Stanford Lifestyle Medicine. “Rather than try to cut stress out of our lives, what matters most is whether we meet that stress with fear and constriction or with tools that help our bodies stay flexible and resilient.”
How Stress Affects our Cardiovascular System
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., and chronic stress is now recognized as a meaningful contributor to heart health risk. Research shows that stress doesn’t just impact our mood or mental health—it can directly influence blood vessels, heart rate, inflammation, and the nervous system. At the same time, emerging research suggests that simple, accessible tools—like shifting our mindsets about how we perceive stress—may play a powerful role in protecting cardiovascular health.
When we experience stress, the body releases a surge of hormones—including cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline—that prepare us to respond to a challenge. Heart rate increases, blood flow is redirected, and blood vessels constrict to help us react quickly.
This response can be useful for our survival in short bursts (minutes to hours), but problems arise when stress becomes chronic (weeks to months) or when the body remains in a constant state of tension. Over time, repeated vessel constriction and elevated heart rate increase strain on the cardiovascular system and can contribute to inflammation.
Changing How We Perceive Stress
For most of us, our natural instinct is to ask, “How do I get rid of my stress?” but Dr. Meyer Tapia encourages us to ask a different question: “How can I move through stress in a way that supports my heart?”
Stress is a daily reality for most adults—but rather than try to avoid or reduce the amount of stress we experience, Dr. Meyer Tapia encourages us to reframe stress from something that’s “bad” to seeing stress as the evidence that we care. How we navigate stress can be the difference between physiological strain and greater ease in the body and mind.
Some experts suggest that mindset plays a role in how stressful experiences affect the body. Research from Stanford psychologist Alia Crum, PhD, shows that people who view stress as overwhelmingly harmful are more likely to experience negative physical symptoms—sometimes becoming stressed about their stress. In contrast, those who understand stress as something the body can adapt to often show healthier physiological responses. Here is a free course based on Dr. Crum’s findings on how to rethink stress for better health.
“When we’re clenched, braced, and afraid, our blood vessels are constricted,” says Dr. Meyer Tapia. “All that extra blood flow from stress hormones is trying to move through tight arteries, which creates more strain on the heart.”
The Physiology of a Deep Breath
Breathing is one of the fastest ways to influence the nervous system in a positive way—and, by extension, heart health. Slow, relaxed breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the body’s rest-and-digest mode.
A key player in this process is the vagus nerve, which runs from the abdomen to the brain. When the belly is tense and held in, the vagus nerve sends a signal that the body is in danger, keeping the nervous system in survival mode. When the belly softens and breathing deepens, the vagus nerve sends the opposite message: that it’s safe to slow down and relax.
This shift allows blood vessels to become more pliable, decreases the heart rate, and helps the body move out of a state of defense.
“When the belly is relaxed, we’re signaling safety to the brain,” says Dr. Meyer Tapia. “That gives us access to perspective, compassion, and choice—and it reduces the wear and tear on the heart during stressful moments.”
Loneliness and Heart Health
Stress doesn’t just affect individuals—it also shapes how we connect with others. The U.S. Surgeon General has identified loneliness as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, placing social disconnection alongside smoking and obesity.
Biologically, stress triggers the craving for oxytocin, sometimes called the “bonding hormone,” which encourages us to seek connection and support. Positive social interactions, compassionate touch, and a sense of belonging all help calm the nervous system and buffer the cardiovascular effects of stress.
“When we have community and connection, there’s a soothing chemical response in the body,” says Dr. Meyer Tapia. “Without it, the stress response can become more intense and last longer, which takes a toll on heart health.”
Managing Stress Can Start with a Breath
While chronic stress can harm cardiovascular health, most stressors aren’t easily eliminated. The good news is that small, repeatable practices—especially those that soften the body—can change our daily responses to stressors and, therefore, how stress affects the heart.
A deep breath doesn’t erase challenges, but it can shift the body out of survival mode and reduce cardiovascular strain. Combined with other pillars of lifestyle medicine—such as sleep, nutrition, movement, and social connection—breathing becomes a powerful, free tool for resilience.
“Breath is a universal resource we all have access to in every moment,” says Dr. Meyer Tapia. “It’s not everything, but it’s far from nothing—and it can help us meet stress in a way that supports both our hearts and our lives.”
