We are living in a world that is getting more stressful with the passage of time. Although technology has made life easier in numerous ways, it has increased our stress levels due to various reasons. For example, having a smartphone makes you available 24/7. In case you are needed, you will be called at any hour of the night, no matter how inconvenient, and sometimes even on your vacation. It is hard to ignore that flashing light indicating new work emails when you get up. Moreover, people usually have the tendency of being very impatient and expect prompt responses to text messages.
This need to stay available all the time creates stress, which in the long run can be detrimental to your health. High stress levels can significantly impact your vascular system, causing a spike in blood pressure, heart diseases and sometimes varicose veins. A surge in blood pressure can impair vein walls causing varicose veins to appear.
Stress places a huge burden on your cardiovascular health. Therefore, it is vital for patients running a risk of venous diseases, to keep their stress levels in control. A stressful lifestyle often leads to lack of exercise, poor diet and alcohol or drug abuse, all of these undesirable habits can trigger or exacerbate vein diseases such as varicose veins, spider veins and deep vein thrombosis.
Long-term or chronic stress places excessive pressure on your veins, which may make it hard for the veins to pump blood back up to the heart, this blood will pool and cause the weak veins to swell.
People experiencing stress tend to care less for their bodies; this often leads to stress eating or too much pressure leaves little or no time for exercise. Any or both of these situations can cause people to put on weight, which adds extra pressure on their veins and weakens the venous walls. Stress-eating usually involves high intake of salty foods which can lead to high blood pressure. For people who are already vulnerable to varicose veins, this can have an adverse affect on vein health.
A majority of people resort to smoking as a coping mechanism to deal with stress. While it may offer a quick fix to stress relief, in the long run smoking greatly raises the chances of contracting a vein disease, not to mention the slew of other health problems that can ensue.
For people who have a family history of varicose veins, not a lot can be done to avoid this medical condition and varicose veins will usually appear irrespective of stress levels. That being said, there are several means of minimizing the chances of the appearance and severity of varicose veins.
The effective management of vein health in stressful circumstances usually entails treating your inner self. Begin by setting aside a few minutes every day for meditation or take frequent small walking breaks to raise the flow of blood and cognitive function. The next thing you can do is incorporate a relaxation activity like yoga, painting or reading in your daily activities.
You may find it extremely helpful to include an exercise program in your schedule; this will not only cut down stress but also boost your cardiovascular health and mitigate or prevent the development of varicose veins.