Studies have shown that stress, particularly long-term stress, can raise your levels of blood cholesterol. There are a few different ways that stress can impact your cholesterol, but there are things you can do to fight back and make sure it doesn’t have a significant impact.

A supplement known as rhodiola rosea may be able to help you with stress. Rhodiola benefits the body by increasing energy levels and by improving the lasting ability of those feel-good brain chemicals including serotonin. Getting regular exercise will help reduce stress and it should also help you sleep better at night as long as you don’t exercise late in the evening, as this can make it difficult to go to sleep. Meditation can also help relieve stress and improve your quality of life.

One of the reasons stress can impact your cholesterol levels is by messing with your good daily habits. When stress comes on sometimes people will skip workouts or eat either quick meals or comfort meals, which are often loaded with unhealthy fats that lead to higher blood cholesterol. But there is also evidence to suggest that stress can negatively impact LDL cholesterol levels.

Even though starting or maintaining good habits may be difficult during times of stress, it is really important to look at the big picture and either add or maintain stress-relieving habits into your life. Keep in mind they will make you feel better and handle the stress better.