Reactions to stress can affect blood pressure

The body releases a surge of hormones when under stress. These hormones cause the heart to beat faster and the blood vessels to narrow. These actions increase blood pressure for a time.

There's no proof that stress by itself causes long-term high blood pressure. But reacting to stress in unhealthy ways can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Behaviors linked to higher blood pressure include:

• Drinking too much alcohol or caffeine.
• Eating unhealthy foods.
• Eating too much.
• Not moving enough.

Heart disease also might be linked to certain health conditions related to stress, such as:

• Anxiety.
• Depression.
• Being cut off from friends and family.

There's no proof that these conditions are directly linked to high blood pressure. But the hormones the body makes when under emotional stress might damage arteries. The artery damage might lead to heart disease. And symptoms of depression and anxiety might cause some people to forget to take medicines to control high blood pressure or other heart conditions.

Stress can cause a steep rise in blood pressure. But when stress goes away, blood pressure returns to what it was before the stress. However, short spikes in blood pressure can cause heart attacks or strokes and also may damage blood vessels, the heart, and the kidneys over time. The damage is like the damage from long-term high blood pressure.