Singer Elina Nechayeva urges early heart screenings, links stress to risk
Soprano and former Eurovision contestant Elina Nechayeva is urging people to monitor heart health from their 30s, linking prolonged stress and anxiety to her own heart issues.
Nechayeva described how her anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic escalated into a state of constant stress after live performances were canceled.
"I worried about how I'd cope," she said. With no work to focus on, she said she became consumed by negative thoughts, and the stress was anything but momentary; it became a daily baseline.
"It got pretty bad, and I developed heart rhythm issues," she said, referring to arrythmias. She recalled waking at night with her heart racing and beating irregularly.
Nechayeva acknowledged she delayed seeking medical help. Instead, she traveled abroad, calling it a mistake in hindsight.
"I should have gone to a doctor right away," she said, adding the experience showed how harmful unmanaged stress can be.
The singer took part in a heart health awareness campaign in Tallinn during April's Heart Month.
Dressed in red, Nechayeva performed "La Forza," the 2018 song with which she represented Estonia in Eurovision, on a busy downtown street to draw attention to cardiovascular health.
The opera soprano's voice was hard to miss, and she noted that even passersby not typically exposed to her genre were visibly affected. "They thanked me and said I had moved them to tears," she recalled.
Nechayeva also pointed to a family history of heart problems, saying her grandfather had a heart attack linked to stress. Regular checkups are important, she emphasized, and not only later in life.
"It's worth taking care of yourself and getting checked out, starting in your 30s already," she said, comparing the heart to an engine.
"If that engine starts acting up," she added, "life's journey won't be nearly as smooth or enjoyable as it could be."
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Editor: Annika Remmel, Aili Vahtla
