The old Chinese curse — May you live in interesting times — seems more appropriate than ever these days. Whether you’re worried about anything from the economy to global diplomatic tensions, there’s a whole lot in the news to validate that feeling that has you waking up at 3:00 am. The problem is that there’s more at stake for you personally than suffering from a sleepless night or two. The problem is stress. If you’re not dealing with your feelings properly, stress can have a significant and negative impact on your health.

The effect of stress on your health is well researched. Writing for Healthline, Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph.D., says “When stress is ongoing, it can have damaging effects on your physical and mental health. In fact, research has shown that chronic stress may be one of the leading risk factors for heart disease.”

All stress, though, is not created equal. There is a difference between acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress occurs when we face life’s everyday challenges. Meeting your accountant to review your tax return? If there are lingering questions about your return, this routine task may actually be quite stressful. In this case your body will have some predictable and healthy reactions, then return to normal.

Then there is chronic stress. In our example above, there’s a clear resolution to the issue causing the stress. You meet with your accountant, resolve the issue and get on with your life. With chronic stress you’re typically facing a situation with no time frame for a resolution. This can be anything from a job loss to a disintegrating marriage — or political chaos that seems to be endless. The problem is that your body does not have a chance to return to its normal state.

Two of the ways that your body reacts to stress is by increasing the release of some hormones. It releases cortisol, the “stress hormone,” which increases your energy level, and epinephrine and norepinephrine — the “fight or flight” hormones. These hormones in particular, which raise your heart rate and blood pressure, increase your breath rate and more, can have harmful effects over the long term, especially on the heart. The effects don’t end with the heart, though. Research has shown it is also associated with:

• General inflammation
• Angina
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes

As if these factors weren’t bad enough, another problem arises in how we react to stress. Unfortunately, an all-too-common reaction is to adopt unhealthy coping behaviors. Seladi-Schulman points to recent research that shows people often cope by:

• “Reducing physical activity”
• “Changing eating habits, such as overeating”
• “Increasing alcohol consumption”
• “Smoking cigarettes”
• “Not taking medications, including heart medications as prescribed”

Fortunately, it is widely known that all of these negative behaviors are unhealthy. What may not be as widely known is that these behaviors are risk factors specifically for heart disease. That means that it’s highly advisable to protect your heart by dealing with stress properly. Seladi-Schulman Offers some commonsense advice for managing stress along with a couple tips you may not have thought of, such as:

“Get regular exercise.” Along with helping you maintain a healthy body weight, exercise often makes you feel better and boosts energy throughout the day.

“Try relaxation techniques.” Something as simple as deep breathing or more involved such as meditation can help you reduce stress. There may also be some changes in your lifestyle that might help, such as taking a break from the news. (See Stressed Out? This May Help for more tips.)

“Do something you enjoy.” Taking time to calm down with some deep breaths is fine, but there are also more active steps you can take to de-stress. It can be anything from re-watching your favorite comedy to getting outside for some gardening. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you really enjoy.

“Get enough sleep.” No surprise here — being tired and cranky just seems to make whatever situation is causing you stress worse than it really is.

“Connect with others.” There’s a good reason that effective therapy often involves talking. Be open to the idea of reaching out to a close friend or family member and letting them know your thoughts. Sometimes, simply describing the issue that is stressing you out makes you realize it’s really not so bad.

If the situation actually is as complicated as you think it is, or involves a particularly sensitive issue that requires confidentiality, then it may be time to reach out for professional counseling. It’s more than your peace of mind at stake — it’s also your physical health.