It is no secret that stress can have an adverse effect on your health and wellbeing. From physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and upset stomach to mood-related issues such as anxiety or depression, constant stress can take a significant toll. The impacts of stress can extend to your vascular system. Many of the patients at our NJ vein center report that they first started noticing their varicose veins during an especially stressful period in their lives. There are several ways stress can impact your vein health: read on to learn more.

How does stress affect NJresidents’ vein health?
Think about your behavior during stressful periods. When you are dealing with the demands of a stressful lifestyle, it becomes difficult to take care of your health. Your diet might not be a priority, leading to weight gain. You might not have the time or energy to exercise. You might even take up smoking in an attempt to find relief. All of these lifestyle factors can have an impact on your vein health. Vein disease risk can be predicted by looking at a number of factors. When a NYC vein doctor first meets with a patient, he will ask questions about that person’s family history, health history, and lifestyle choices. Vein disease risk increases depending on your age, gender, heredity, and lifestyle. While there is not much you can do to change the first three factors, you can make many changes in your lifestyle to promote better vein health. At the same time, you can also make choices that negatively impact your veins’ ability to function. This is what we see happening when patients are under stress: the choices they make tend to hurt their veins.

Job stress and vein health
A person’s occupation can be a significant cause of stress in their lives. It can also be a contributing factor to vein disease. Occupations that require a person to stand for long periods of time can put undue pressure on the veins in the legs, increasing the chance of varicose veins. The same can be said of occupations that require extended sitting. In both situations, taking short breaks to move around can help improve circulation and reduce the risk of vein disease. Coupling these breaks with relaxing practices such as deep breathing or even simple yoga poses can also help manage stress levels.

Managing the impact of stress on your vein health
To help reduce the negative impact of stress on vein health, NYC varicose vein doctors encourage finding healthy ways to address stressful situations. For example, an exercise program that you find enjoyable can help reduce stress, improve your move, and facilitate healthy circulation. Swimming, dancing, or playing sports can all be fun ways to keep moving and reduce stress. Alternatively, you might find that improving your vein health and appearance may reduce your levels of stress. Seeing unsightly varicose and spider veins in the mirror every morning can be concerning. Feeling self-conscious about your appearance is stressful and can lead to depression and isolation. Face this problem head-on with the help of NJ vein removal. Eliminating unhealthy veins can leave you feeling healthier and more attractive, two things that are bound to reduce your stress levels. Stress can have a negative impact on many areas of your health, including the health of your veins.

Dr. Lowell S. Kabnick can help you manage this impact so you can face the world at your best. You have a variety of options to manage your vein disease: call us at 973-538-2000 to learn more about them.