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At the close of American Heart Month, a cardiologist at Ascension Medical Group St. John Heart and Vascular Center in Bartlesville spoke with Bartlesville Radio about healthy habits to combat stress.

With the on-going pandemic, Dr. Sharolyn Cook said people are experiencing a lot of stress and "pandemic fatigue." Dr. Cook said stress response from the chemical cortisol is very damaging to your body in the long-term. She said that can be manifested by high blood pressure, chest discomfort, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbances, which is why stress management is very important.

Recommended stress relievers include (an info graphic can be found below):

• Meditation / Yoga
• Exercise / Getting Outdoors
• A Healthy Sleep Cycle / Turning Off or Dimming Electronics as Bedtime Approaches
• Staying In Touch with Loved Ones / Friends
• Lean on a Furry Friend
• Eating Healthier Foods

Stress can be deadly. Dr. Cook said they've seen some conditions during the pandemic such as stress induced heart failure. She said they've seen an increase in this Broken Heart Syndrome since the beginning of the pandemic nearly a year ago.

Ascension is still offering virtual and in-person visits at this time. Dr. Cook said counseling and Ascension's exercise facilities are also available. She said they have plenty of resources available for you.

It's vitally important that you check-in with your primary care provider on a regular basis to make sure you're not having issues with high blood pressure that are not being addressed. Dr. Cook said high blood pressure is typically called a silent killer because it's not felt most of the time. She said if you're not coming in for routine checks, then no one is aware of the issue and it could become a serious issue.

If you're not coming in to check you blood pressure, Dr. Cook said you can check your blood pressure with a monitor at home or at a local pharmacy. She said you can go to ascension.org to set up an appointment as well. All you have to do is look up resources.

For more information, click here.