subject: The Link Between Stress And Heartburn [print this page] Getting your stress in check is critical for your health if you want to alleviate your ongoing heartburn symptoms. While there isn't a scientifically established correlation between stress and heartburn, there's lots of evidence for an indirect link.
If we're stressed, we eat more, make poor food choices, sleep less, and often indulge in other bad habits such as smoking and drinking. These actions will compound the problem if they end up aggravating your heartburn.
If chronic heartburn is an issue for you, you need to look closely at the stressors in your life so you can eliminate them. Is one of your relationships the problem? The office? Is it financial concerns or an overly hectic schedule? All of this can increase your stress levels and lead to heartburn if it makes you make poor lifestyle choices.
After you know what sets you off, try to prevent heartburn by finding solutions to your stresses. Could you go into counseling, or even just steal some time away to unwind and appreciate life?
Often you can reduce your stress, and thereby your problems with heartburn, simply by changing certain parts of your life. Find time for exercise each day if you don't already. This might help you lose weight, also, which can help reduce your heartburn symptoms if you're overweight.
If you simply need to unwind, try meditation or massage. While these activities may not directly relieve your heartburn, they can slow the pace of your life and let you relax and enjoy a lifestyle that will reduce the frequency of heartburn attacks.
Perhaps you just need to put on a soothing CD and relax to the sound of music for awhile. This can prevent you from overeating, drinking alcohol, or smoking.
If you would rather replace your bad habits with something positive, try learning how to laugh more. Improve your mood and lose stress by finding things that entertain you and help you let go of life's troubles.
