Overthinking is a form of psychological stress that people experience due to various factors. However, it can affect overall health, including heart health. The main question arises ‘Can overthinking cause a heart attack?’. Tap to know!
High Blood Pressure
Overthinking keeps our body in fight or flight mode, leading to persistent high blood pressure, a major factor of heart attack.
Weakened Immune System
Constant overthinking can also weaken the immune system, making it difficult to fight off infections and increasing the risk of heart attack.
Sleep Disruption
Many people are unable to sleep due to constant overthinking, which may cause insomnia in some. Disrupted sleep has also been linked to heart diseases.
Increased Stress
Overthinking also increases cortisol (stress hormone), which can raise blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the risk of heart attack.
Irregular Heartbeats
People who overthink a lot may sometimes trigger irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia, which is dangerous for their heart health.
Reduced Physical Activity
Overthinkers may become so consumed by their worries that they engage in little to no physical activity, increasing the risk of heart diseases.
Chronic Anxiety
Constant overthinking can lead to several anxiety disorders like panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, and more, which can increase the risk of heart attacks.
Information Credits
According to PubMed, overthinking can cause a heart attack due to increased stress, sleep disruption, chronic anxiety, and more. It is advisable to consult a healthcare professional for personalised suggestions.