Chill out!
Being stressed for a long period of time could be taking a serious physical toll on your body, a new study suggests.
Spanish researchers found that the risk of stroke is nearly four times higher among people who've experienced stress from a big life event over the course of the past year.
Plus, the risk of stroke is more than doubled among people with Type A personalities, people who do or did smoke, and people who drink at least two energy drinks daily, researchers found.
Stroke risk was also increased among men, people with heart rhythm disturbances, and people with daytime fatigue, the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry study said.
The research included 150 people (average age 54) who had had a stroke and entered into a stroke clinic. Researchers compared their lifestyle factors, level of Type A-ness (the personality type is linked with having a temper, being impatient and being aggressive) and stress levels with 300 healthy people.
Last year, a study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine showed a link between work stress and increased stroke risk, with work stress raising the stroke risk by 1.4 times for middle- and high-class men.
Need some help calming and de-stressing? Check out these seven natural stress-relief options:
