Valentine’s Day 2023: Can A Breakup Affect Your Heart Health?

All of us have been on the receiving end of a breakup at some point in our lives. Whether it was a mutual one or a sudden and unexpected one, we have all been there. A breakup does not only cause mental pain, but can also affect your physical health, so whenever you feel like your heart is really hurting, it may actually be.

Experts believe that romantic breakups can negatively impact your heart health.

Here's how.

Can A Breakup Affect Your Heart Health?

When you are sad, there is an excessive amount of cortisol produced by the brain, which causes muscles to tense up in preparation for fighting or fleeing. Without a real need to do so, the muscles do not have the opportunity to exhaust their energy. Muscles swell, causing headaches, a stiff neck, and a feeling of squeezing in your chest [1].

According to recent research, people who have recently experienced a breakup experience similar brain activity when shown photos of their loved one to people who are experiencing physical pain.

This is because the same brain area, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, is activated when someone experiences physical pain and when they are feeling heartache. This suggests that the emotional pain of a breakup is just as real as physical pain.

According to researchers, rejection, emotional pain, and physical pain are all processed by the same brain regions [2].

It is believed that this might be due to the simultaneous activation of the sympathetic and anti-sympathetic nervous systems [3].

It slows the heart rate and breathing, while the sympathetic nervous system gets the body ready for action. The parasympathetic nervous system handles relaxing functions, such as digestion and salivation.

It's the flight or fight response that sends hormones rushing through the body to increase heart rate, and wake up your muscles. When both are turned on simultaneously, it stands to reason that the body would experience discomfort - possibly even chest pains.

The stress of a breakup has been reported to cause strokes and heart attacks in some individuals [4].

Despite the fact that a broken heart is more of an emotional low, if left untreated, it can become a threat to your heart. For this reason, it is important to maintain your heart's health by doing heart health exercises and following a heart-healthy diet plan [5].

How To Scientifically Try And Mend Your Heart After A Breakup?

The only remedy for heartbreak and emotional pain is time. Being physically active, maintaining proper diet habits, and engaging with friends and family members can all help reduce your risk of ill health following a breakup.

After a relationship ends, we often attempt to hold on to it, only prolonging the agony.

What Is Broken Heart Syndrome?

In the discussion of heartbreak and heart pain, it is important to note Broken heart syndrome. A condition known as broken heart syndrome is usually triggered by stressful situations and extreme emotions. It is also often triggered by a serious physical illness or a surgical procedure.

Broken heart syndrome is typically a temporary condition [6].

The repair of the heart may, however, result in some people continuing to feel unwell for a period of time. Broken heart syndrome is not caused by blocked arteries, but rather by going through a stressful emotional experience, despite the fact that it may appear like a heart attack with chest pains and shortness of breath.

Is broken heart syndrome solely caused by a breakup? No. But can a breakup cause broken heart syndrome? Yes, it can.

On A Final Note...

The stress associated with breakups, both on your mental and physical health, is undeniable.

Grieve as much or as long as you wish, but ensure you help yourself to overcome the slump and begin anew. Remember that overcoming a breakup is both an emotional and a physical process. It will become easier with time.