All The Ways A Broken Heart Can Impact You Physically

An expert walks us through how to help manage the stress of it all.

Freelance Life Writer

Anyone that’s been through heartbreak will tell you that it feels all-encompassing. It’s sometimes a real shock to the system – and even when a separation was a long time coming, adjusting to your ‘new normal’ takes a huge toll.

However, while we’re singing along to our favourite heartache anthems, re-installing dating apps and leaning on our friends for emotional support, our bodies are also experiencing the more physical effects of heartbreak, too.

Mike Kocsis, hormone health expert at Balance My Hormones, told HuffPost UK: “A broken heart isn’t just an emotional experience, it’s a real physiological and psychological phenomenon.”

Why a broken heart can feel physically real

The stress-heart connection

“When you experience intense emotional distress, like heartbreak, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These trigger the ‘fight-or-flight’ response, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension,” Kocsis said.

“In extreme cases, this can lead to a condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as ‘broken heart syndrome’.”

Symptoms of this can include chest pain and shortness of breath, similar to........

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