1. Stress and
Your Heart
By Destiny Jensen
destinyjensen@mail.weber.edu
Weber State University
Student Wellness
Wildcat Center 210
801-626-7524
studentwellness@weber.edu
Resources on Cam-
pus to Help:
Supported by your student fees.
Stress Relief Center
Room 124 of the Swenson Gym.
Massage chairs, Chi Machines
and more to help you relieve
your stress.
Campus Rec
Physical activity and the great
outdoors can both be great
stress relievers—and Campus
Rec can help you experience
both!
Counseling Center
Room 280 in the Student Ser-
vices Building. Offers a medita-
tion group and free counseling
for WSU Students
Student Wellness
If the above resources don’t fit
your need, we can help you find
something that can!
For more information, visit:
 American Heart Association
www.heart.org
 Go Red For Women:
www.goredforwomen.org
 The American College of Cardi-
ology
www.cardiosmart.org
 The Self Compassion Project:
www.theselfcompassionproject.com
 Stress Relief Center
www.weber.edu/relax
 Campus Rec
www.weber.edu/campusrecreation/
 Counseling Center
www.weber.edu/CounselingCenter/
 Student Wellness
www.weber.edu/studentwellness

2. Stress and Your Heart
Stress—especially chronic stress—
can lead to a domino effect of physical
reactions and unhealthy behaviors that
can be dangerous to your heart.
The Physical Stress Response
Stress causes your body to release
adrenaline, which increases your heart
rate and blood pressure. This
prepares your body to either fight the
stressor or run from it—AKA the “Fight
or Flight” response. When this
happens for days or weeks at a time,
the artery walls can become damaged.
Stress can also lead to unhealthy
behaviors—such as alcohol, smoking,
physical inactivity or overeating.
These behaviors offer temporary
relief—and long term damage.
What Else Can I Do?
An overall healthy lifestyle can help
you manage stress and protect your
heart.
Take Care of Yourself
Eat a nutritious diet, get a good
night’s sleep and get regular
physical activity.
Get Organized
Good organization and time
management skills can stave off
stress before it begins.
Connect with Others
Volunteer, spend time with friends
and be sure to laugh—are all
proven ways to improve your health
and reduce stress!
Coping with Stress
Try these four tips from the American
Health Association to cope with stress
without turning to unhealthy habits:
Positive Self Talk
Negative self-talk increases stress.
Practice turning negative thoughts (“I
can’t do this!”) into positive ones (“I’ll
do my best!”).
Emergency Stress Stoppers
Find a trick (or several!) to stop stress
in its tracks! Count to 10, take 3-5
deep, slow breaths, avoid stressful
situations or walk away, if need be.
Find Pleasure
Do one thing every day that you
enjoy—a hobby, a walk, spending time
with friends or watching a movie .
Relax
Take time daily practice of relaxation
methods such as deep breathing,
prayer, meditation, yoga or tai chi.