Stress and Heart Health: A Connection You Shouldn’t Ignore

February 4, 2026

Senior, man and nurse with listening on stethoscope for heartbeat assessment or cardiovascular health on bed. Elderly patient, doctor and cardiology in hospital for lung disease or chest infection

Stressing out can wreak havoc on your mental and emotional health. It also puts your body at risk. In fact, there’s a strong connection between stress and heart health. If your days are crammed with activities, deadlines and demands, it’s important to understand your risk and take action.

“We’re New Yorkers—we like to do it all,” says Dr. Paul McCormick, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry and assistant attending on NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health’s 2 South Inpatient Eating Disorders Unit. “But stress doesn’t always occur because we’re voluntarily overextending ourselves. There is some stress we can’t get rid of.”

How Stress and Heart Health Are Connected

Every time you face stress, your body produces adrenaline and cortisol. When this happens, your blood pressure and heart rate increase.

“To a point, it’s important that we feel anxious sometimes,” says Dr. Shannon Bennett, licensed clinical psychologist, assistant professor of psychology in clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and director of psychology for the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. “However, kids and adults are constantly surrounded by anxiety triggers, and it's starting to overwhelm and stress people out.”

Such long-term, chronic stress can increase your risk of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. If your stress levels skyrocket, you may even make choices that put your cardiovascular health at greater risk, such as:

Avoiding exercise
Eating unhealthy foods
Skipping heart medication
Smoking

Dealing With Stress in Healthy Ways

While you can’t avoid every stressful situation, stress management can reduce the effects of stress on your heart and help prevent cardiovascular disease.

Breathe. When stress affects your daily life, pause. Take a few deep breaths, using the box technique. Focusing on nothing else, breathe in while you count to four. Hold your breath for four seconds, then exhale for four more seconds. After four seconds, restart the cycle.
Connect. Call a friend to talk about life’s stresses. If needed, schedule an appointment with a mental health professional.
Disconnect. “Turn off the TV,” says Dr. Gurmeet Kanwal, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine and associate attending psychiatrist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. “Don't allow every news channel to send you notifications on every device. Listen to the news one or two times a day instead of all day long.”

Heart of the Matter

There’s a strong connection between stress and your heart health. A few steps can help you respond to stress effectively, protecting your heart.

Stress produces adrenaline and cortisol, which raise blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, this can cause damage to your heart.
Faced with stressful situations, you may make other decisions that put your heart at risk. These include smoking cigarettes, neglecting exercise and eating unhealthy foods.
Deep breathing, connecting with others and avoiding stressors when possible reduce the stress in your life. It also helps manage the effect stress has on your heart.

Wish you had someone to help manage your stress and heart health? Find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine today to get started.