The ties that stress the heart

What stresses you out most during the holidays? Hosting family get-togethers? Buying gifts? All that wrapping? Or all that pressure from family and friends (not to mention yourself!) to plan the perfect memory? It’s been well documented that social ties can improve heart health, but the worry often caused by family and friends can hurt you.

I recently came across a study from the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, performed by Dr. Rikke Lund at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, which says that family stress can increase angina. Moreover, the closer you are to the person, the more damage they can do.

With the pressure of shopping, finances, and family get-togethers, nervous tension is especially on the rise during the holiday season. As most parents are running around trying to plan the perfect holiday, it’s a recipe for tension.

Interestingly, according to the study, the more you care about the person, the more your health is affected. This makes two key categories prime to induce stress: spouses and kids. But which stresses you out more?

“When the source of these worries/demands was a spouse or partner, the angina risk was increased more than threefold, while for children it was more than twofold. Other family members nearly doubled angina risk. By contrast, excessive demands or worries caused by more distant family relations or from friends and neighbors were associated with little or no risk.”

Since angina may be a risk for future heart disease, it makes sense to let things slide over the holidays, rather than allowing yourself to become stressed.

Does this study beckon the questions, who are parents closer to: their spouse or their children? Maybe. But perhaps moms and dads just don’t get as stressed out by their own kids, because they are just that: kids. After all, when a spouse does something inconsiderate or ill-mannered, as an adult, he is held responsible. Kids, however, to a certain extent, are released of that culpability.

On the contrary, the good news is that the less you care about someone, the smaller chance they have of risking your health. So eat, drink, and be merry this holiday season, and when the snide remarks surface from in-laws or acquaintances, just let them roll right off your shoulder — and away from your heart.

Danielle Sullivan, a mom of three, has worked as a writer and editor in the parenting world for more than 10 years. Sullivan also writes about pets and parenting for Disney’s Babbl‌e.com. Find Sullivan on her blogs, Just Write Mom and Some Puppy To Love.

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

Collina Italiana, The Italian Language and Cultural Center

<p>Learn Italian the fun way. Children practice and absorb the language through arts & crafts, activities, games, songs and stories!</p>

Mark Morris Summer Dance Camps

<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff;">Fill your summer with dance, music, and art! The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center’s multi-disciplinary camps for all levels provide a full day of activities from dance with live music to visual art. Students will explore a variety of dance styles and techniques, including ballet, modern, hip-hop, jazz, African, and more. Campers will also learn about Mark Morris’s choreography and use concepts to create their own dances. Summer camps are for children ages 6 to 12. Teen workshops are offered for teens ages 13 to 18. </div> <div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff;"> </div> <div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; line-height: 1.38; background-color: #ffffff;"> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center, located in the heart of the Brooklyn Cultural District, is affiliated with the world-renowned Mark Morris Dance Group.</span></p> <span id="docs-internal-guid-c6f61b6b-7fff-a6ca-680e-4a00b4f96c17"></span>Click <a title="https://markmorrisdancegroup.org/dance-center/the-school/dance-camps/summer-camps/?utm_source=BK_Family&utm_medium=Online_camp_guide&utm_campaign=2022" href="https://markmorrisdancegroup.org/dance-center/the-school/dance-camps/summer-camps/?utm_source=BK_Family&utm_medium=Online_camp_guide&utm_campaign=2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://markmorrisdancegroup.org/dance-center/the-school/dance-camps/summer-camps/?utm_source%3DBK_Family%26utm_medium%3DOnline_camp_guide%26utm_campaign%3D2022&source=gmail&ust=1640130755643000&usg=AOvVaw0q9f6xU93Ga6SFvt9_fQT6">here</a> for more information and to register, or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">[email protected]</a>.</div>

The Park Slope Day Camp - Traditional Camp

<p dir="ltr">Since ‘92, Park Slope Day Camp has provided an environment and staff that empowers Brooklyn kids to be social, active, and engaged! Campers will make friends and have kick-butt-fun! Sign-up for an info session and learn about what makes Park Slope Day Camp so special. From camp activities to swimming and trips, PSDC delivers a one-of-a-kind experience. Flexible schedules, extended hours, and transportation from most Brooklyn neighborhoods. Options to mix and match with Take the Stage and Sports Academy available for most ages.</p> <p dir="ltr">For campers ages 3.5 - 14. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Register while discounts are at their highest. </strong></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c27e63bd-7fff-3517-e734-4313bbb65766"></span></p>