A recent study published online in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows workers who experience recurring feelings of anger may have a higher risk of developing heart disease, according to Safety+Health magazine.
Researchers randomly placed 280 healthy adults into four groups. Two of the groups were asked to talk about individual experiences that evoked feelings of anger or anxiety; a third group read aloud statements designed to elicit sadness; and a control group counted numbers aloud to induce an emotionally neutral state.
Blood flow measures were taken from participants’ dominant arm before the task and at four separate intervals afterward.
The blood vessels of the participants in the “anger” group were significantly less able to dilate; previous studies show impaired blood vessel dilation is a precursor to atherosclerosis, which develops as cholesterol, fat and other substances in the blood form plaque and cause the arteries to narrow. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Lead study author Daichi Shimbo, a cardiologist at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, said people who get angry all the time have chronic injuries to their blood vessels that over time “may eventually cause irreversible effects on vascular health and eventually increase your heart disease risk.”
Researchers recommend workers who frequently experience anger try activities such as reading self-help books, exercising, and practicing yoga and deep breathing.
