The benefits of physical activity in preventing heart attack and stroke may be even greater for people with depression.
According to a research published April 15 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, regular exercise can help lower your risk of heart disease, partly by improving how your brain handles stress.
Researchers discovered that in individuals with a history of depression, the heart-protective advantages of physical exercise virtually quadrupled. “Among individuals with a history of depression, exercise was more than twice as potent at reducing heart attacks and strokes,” says senior author Ahmed Tawakol, MD, a cardiologist and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center in Boston.
This new result may be explained by the impact exercise has on the activity of the brain connected to stress, suggests Dr. Tawakol.
Stress: The Silent Threat to Heart Health
Did you know that chronic stress can wreak havoc on your heart, posing a risk comparable to smoking or high blood pressure?
Research suggests that long-term stressors such as an unsatisfactory work, financial difficulties, or a broken relationship might have an equal detrimental effect on one’s health as smoking, hypertension, or type 2 diabetes.
You see, it all begins in a part of your brain called the amygdala—it’s like your body’s own alarm system. So, imagine you’re in a stressful situation, like giving a big presentation or dealing with a noisy neighbor’s dog that won’t quiet down. That’s when your amygdala goes into overdrive.
So, here’s the deal: Chronic anxiety and depression? They’re not just in your head—they can really mess with your heart. Studies have found that all that stress-related brain activity? It’s like a crystal ball for heart attacks and strokes, telling us when they might happen, even after we’ve factored in other risks.
Here’s the scoop: When your amygdala is always on edge, it sets off alarm bells throughout your body. These signals can spark inflammation in your arteries—the highways for blood to your heart. And guess what? Over time, this inflammation can spell trouble, increasing your risk of heart issues like heart attacks and strokes.
Unlocking the Power of Movement: Reduce Heart Attack and Stroke Risk by 23%
Researchers dove into the relationship between physical activity, stress-related brain activity, and heart disease risk by analyzing data from 50,359 folks in the Mass General Brigham Biobank. These participants spilled the beans on their physical activity habits.
But wait, there’s more! A lucky subset of 774 volunteers even got their brains scanned to measure stress-related brain activity. This deep dive promises to unlock the secrets behind heart disease risk in both those with and without depression.
Over a span of about 10 years, nearly 13 percent of the group experienced cardiovascular disease. But here’s the silver lining: Those who met the recommended physical activity guidelines—150 minutes of moderate exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity—enjoyed a 23 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular issues compared to their less active counterparts.
Dr. Tawakol explains that for individuals without depression, the benefits of reducing heart attack risk level off at around 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week—a finding supported by extensive research. That’s why current guidelines suggest aiming for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise weekly to achieve the best results in lowering heart attack risk.
Exercise keeps heart attack and stroke risks at bay by tackling stress in the brain.
According to Tawakol, about 10 percent of physical activity’s cardiovascular benefits can be attributed to reducing stress-related brain signaling. However, the main advantage comes from strengthening and optimizing your heart’s function, along with increasing blood flow throughout your body.
Tawakol suggests that the enhancements in stress-related brain activity might stem from decreases in the amygdala’s activity or boosts in prefrontal cortical activity.
Think of it like this: If the amygdala is the gas pedal for stress hormones, the prefrontal cortex acts as the brakes. When stress hits, the gas pedal is pressed, triggering your body’s fight-or-flight response. But the prefrontal cortex, like the brakes, helps you ease off that stress gas pedal.
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