Anger results in the increased production of stress hormones known as catecholamines, which increase blood pressure
Do you throw things in frustration, scream at people when they don’t listen to you, or get agitated during an argument? While these sudden bouts of anger may seem normal to everyone, rage can trigger heart issues—specifically heart attacks, according to experts.
Studies say there is a significant correlation between the incidence of heart attack and an angry outburst, as extreme emotions can spike the risk within a two-hour window by constricting heart vessels and affecting blood flow. According to doctors, the more intense or frequent your outbursts are, the higher the risk to your heart health over a period of time.
Why is being angry bad for your heart?
Experts say negative emotions—like anger, a manifestation of stress and anxiety - impair the ability of your blood vessels to dilate, raising the possibility that over time it also leads to long-term vascular damage linked to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, a precursor to heart attacks and strokes.
Anger results in the increased production of stress hormones known as catecholamines, which increase blood pressure and play a role in the development of artery-clogging plaque, which over the course of many years can lead to coronary artery disease. And so, studies on this have provided a better understanding of the connection between mental health and physical health and how even brief, mild to moderate anger can be detrimental to you.
How to keep cool in stressful situations?
A few ways you can handle your anger in healthy ways, as suggested by experts, include:
Step back
Make sure to take a brief time-out from a situation that makes you mad. Think more logically about whether the kind of reaction is required or not. If you are getting angry, count to 10 or walk away from that situation to help you break the habit of hair-trigger reactions.
Aim for assertive, not aggressive
You must stand up for yourself and make your feelings known, but all this can be done even without shouting, pointing fingers, making threats, and shaking your fist. These exaggerated emotional responses are neither needed nor constructive to make yourself heard. These just make the other person defensive or mad too, thereby not leading to any solution.
Learn relaxation tools
There are many constructive and positive tactics, like deep breathing, that can help you calm down in the heat of the moment. Other positive influences like meditation, yoga, and mindfulness training are also great to help you relax in general.
Reduce your heart risk factors
If you are prone to anger, it is a great idea to work on controlling broad risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol by following a healthy lifestyle that includes workouts and a good diet.
Talk to your doctor
Apart from managing the heart risk factors that you can control, like high cholesterol, if you have a history of heart disease and trouble managing anger, there’s some evidence that beta-blockers may reduce your risk of heart attack. Your doctor can also help to point you toward anger-management classes or therapy to help you learn other constructive ways to react.
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