A stroke is a serious medical event that happens when part of your brain gets damaged from a lack of oxygen. While the scientific evidence is still emerging, it’s possible that both chronic (long-term) and more sudden stress may increase your risk of stroke, especially if you have other risk factors.
Scientists have learned that chronic, unrelenting stress, such as from ongoing challenges at work or in your family life, may slightly increase your risk of stroke. Part of this may be because stress is associated with atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries that can lead to serious health events like heart attack and stroke.
Going through a traumatic event—like a natural disaster or the death of a spouse—might slightly increase your risk, at least for several months. Situations that make you very angry or extremely upset might also raise your risks in the short term.
Some people who’ve experienced very stressful events in the past may have a higher risk of stroke than they otherwise would, especially if they have symptoms from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Stress often plays a role in depression as well, which may also increase your overall risk of stroke.
How Stress Might Increase Stroke Risk
Stress might impact your risk of stroke through various mechanisms.
When you experience sudden stress, it triggers an increase in sympathetic nervous system activity, the part of your nervous system responsible for the “fight or flight” response. Signals decrease to the parasympathetic nervous system. That’s the “rest and digest” part of your nervous system.
Stress also influences the HPA axis, a system that helps regulate your response to stress. It includes the:
- Hypothalamus: A region in the brain that controls many important functions
- Pituitary gland: A gland in the brain that regulates multiple hormones
- Adrenal glands: Glands near your kidneys that can release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline
The action of the HPA axis may have different effects on your body, some of which might increase your risk of stroke. It may further raise your blood pressure, and it might make your blood more concentrated, which can make a clot more likely in a brain blood vessel.
Stress may also increase certain kinds of inflammation, another risk factor. Stress can increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, some of which may lead to a stroke.
These are all factors that can increase the risk of stroke. However, they may be unlikely to cause problems unless you also have other risk factors.
You may not be able to change some risk factors for stroke, like increased age, but you can take steps to modify many important risk factors for stroke. Your level of stress can influence some. These include:
- High blood pressure: This is the most important modifiable risk factor for stroke. High blood pressure weakens your blood vessels and increases the risk of blood clots or blood vessel rupture in your brain. Chronic stress can worsen high blood pressure, and sudden stressors can raise it.
- Coping behaviors: Not getting enough exercise is a risk factor for stroke, as is carrying a lot of adipose tissue (fat), eating poorly, and even being dehydrated. When you feel stressed, you may be less likely to exercise, eat nutritious foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, and drink enough fluids.
- Substance use: Using tobacco and drinking alcohol excessively are both risk factors for stroke. It can be tempting to rely on substances like this to relax when you’re stressed.
- Poor sleep: Not getting enough sleep or having very poor-quality sleep may also increase stroke risk, especially if you have a condition like obstructive sleep apnea. Excess stress can interfere with your ability to get a good night’s sleep.
- Other conditions: Many people at risk for stroke have underlying conditions that need to be treated with medications, like those to lower blood pressure, decrease cholesterol, or manage diabetes. You may be more likely to forget medications or skip medical appointments if you’re experiencing a lot of stress.
Managing risk factors for stroke may also benefit related conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease.
Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but you can take steps to manage stress and limit its impact. Feeling more in control of stress may help ease the negative effects and decrease your stroke risk.
Some strategies that may help you cope with or move through your stress more easily include:
- Prioritize sleep: Try to carve out time for a full night’s sleep, which is seven or more hours. Limit caffeine and avoid using screens right before bed.
- Experiment with your diet: What you eat may ultimately worsen your stress levels. Try to get enough foods with fiber, protein, and fat to help you deal with stress more readily.
- Move your body: Find a kind of exercise that you enjoy and then do it regularly. Even a 20- or 30-minute daily walk can have major benefits. Be careful not to overdo it, as heavy physical exertion may be a stroke risk factor if your body isn’t used to it.
- Make time to socialize: Quality time with close friends and family can significantly reduce your stress. Set boundaries to limit time with people who drain you.
- Limit your use of technology: Excessive screen time and media consumption might contribute to your stress.
- Relax with hobbies: Find time for things that uplift, calm, or bring you joy. Examples could include a spiritual or religious activity, a hobby you love, or spending time in nature.
- Address stress directly: Consider journaling, using meditation, or mindfulness exercises. Working with a therapist to get insight and prioritize what is most important to you is also helpful.
If you’re concerned about your risk of stroke, it’s important to talk to a healthcare provider. They can discuss the best ways to help manage your risk.
Seek immediate medical attention if you have any potential and sudden signs of a stroke, such as:
- Facial drooping
- Inability to move an arm or leg
- Numbness on one side of the body
- Difficulties with speech, seeing, or walking
- Severe headache
- Sudden change in vision
It’s also critical to see a healthcare provider right away if your stress levels are so severe that they interfere with your ability to participate in daily life or cause thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Both short-term and long-term stress may increase the risk of stroke, especially if you have other risk factors. Lowering your stress may help decrease these risks. Be sure to reach out to a healthcare provider if your stress levels don’t feel manageable. Support is available.
