Tight schedules. Traffic jams. Money troubles. An overcooked steak. Life throws you curveballs of stress at every step. Okay, we admit, that dropped steak might just be the universe's version of a crude joke. Nonetheless, stress is a sneaky accomplice to high blood pressure and the green-eyed monster called heart disease, upping their game in the shadows to set the stage for a heart attack.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to understand that while stress may not directly throw a punch at your heart, it plays one hell of a game to prepare the ring; creating symptoms like a jack-in-the-box heart rate and sky-high blood pressure that, if left unchecked, could provide the perfect backdrop to a roundhouse punch - a heart attack. Stress has a sly habit of causing us to ditch the saints in our lives (good nutrition and exercise, in case you were wondering) and bids us to find solace in the arms of the devils (a.k.a smoking or binge-eating junk food).

But we know what you're thinking, stress only really gets the heart pumping, right? Not quite. Both fleeting and persistent stress can adversely affect your heart. Imagine stress having a party in your system, bringing along its pals adrenaline and fight-or-flight response. This trio can cause your breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure to go off the charts. Sadly, the after-party isn't as fun – a serious risk of heart attack and stroke.

You may have heard of something called stress cardiomyopathy, the medical data's fancy attempt to dress up 'Broken-Heart Syndrome' – it's like putting lipstick on a bulldog. This is essentially a seismic wave of sudden stress (think, a breakup or a spoiled Game of Thrones ending) that takes a baseball bat to your heart muscles. And before you get too cozy thinking heart attacks only occur with heart diseases or arterial blockages, listen up!

Introducing, Myocardial Infarction with Nonobstructive Coronary Arteries, our award-winning mouthful, also known as MINOCA. This little trickster ensures that no pesky blockages are needed for a heart attack. While still a result of inadequate blood flow to the heart, this villain seems to particularly enjoy giving younger Black and Hispanic women a hard time.

Oh, and let's not forget the plot-twist: heart attacks can still happen without heart diseases, but understanding the risk factors, such as high blood pressure, smoking, stress and (the crowd favorite) diabetes, can help in managing the potential risks.

Heart attacks are no joke, but, trust us, the warning signs can be more confusing than your partner's mood swings. So, let's make it simple: too much stress can pack a punch to your heart health. Add a stressful job to the mix, and you've got a 40% increased risk for heart disease and heart attack. Throw in financial fears and caregiving tasks and you're on the fast track to a risky situation.

We don't mean to be all doom and gloom. Let's put that kale salad to work. Regular exercise (read: NOT an annual gym membership that gathers dust), healthy eating habits, adequate sleep and relaxation exercises; they'll do more than just giving you washboard abs – they'll help keep your stress levels checked and your heart singing.

So, to keep it short and sweet – stress ain't directly causing your heart attack, but it sure is making a damn good attempt. Quit playing Russian roulette with your health; you can start by making the right lifestyle choices today. The heart wants what the heart wants, and yours wants a stress-free life.