How Healthy Relationships Help Heart Health
Social interactions can come in many shapes and forms, from talking with a coworker during a meeting to arguing with a sibling over dinner. Socializing often influences mood; a positive exchange can bring joy, while a negative one has the power to ruin the entire day. On a deeper level, however, the types of interactions a person faces affect not only their emotional state, but also their physical state. As concluded in a 2023 study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), a higher amount of positive and lower amount of negative experiences over time is associated with better cardiovascular health, especially lower blood pressure reactivity.
What is blood pressure reactivity (BPR)? This measurement indicates how much blood pressure tends to increase in response to something that triggers stress, such as exercise or a difficult exam. Someone studying BPR would repeatedly collect blood pressure when the subject is relaxed, then record again when that same subject is undergoing a stressful task. To calculate an individual’s BPR, subtract their average relaxed blood pressure from their average stressed blood pressure.
BPR exists on a spectrum from high to low numbers. Although there is no clear “healthy” BPR number established yet, comparing BPR between different individuals offers a clue into their cardiovascular health. Those with a relatively lower BPR have more stable blood pressure that tends not to rise as dramatically under stress. This is great news, because blood pressure spikes are dangerous short-term increases in pressure that can damage arteries and later lead to issues such as stroke. If they keep occurring, the condition develops into hypertension, which is chronic, or long-term, high blood pressure. To avoid damage to the heart, it is important to know what contributes to increased blood pressure and seek ways to either bring it back to normal levels or prevent it from rising in the first place.
What is blood pressure reactivity (BPR)? This measurement indicates how much blood pressure tends to increase in response to something that triggers stress, such as exercise or a difficult exam. Someone studying BPR would repeatedly collect blood pressure when the subject is relaxed, then record again when that same subject is undergoing a stressful task. To calculate an individual’s BPR, subtract their average relaxed blood pressure from their average stressed blood pressure.
BPR exists on a spectrum from high to low numbers. Although there is no clear “healthy” BPR number established yet, comparing BPR between different individuals offers a clue into their cardiovascular health. Those with a relatively lower BPR have more stable blood pressure that tends not to rise as dramatically under stress. This is great news, because blood pressure spikes are dangerous short-term increases in pressure that can damage arteries and later lead to issues such as stroke. If they keep occurring, the condition develops into hypertension, which is chronic, or long-term, high blood pressure. To avoid damage to the heart, it is important to know what contributes to increased blood pressure and seek ways to either bring it back to normal levels or prevent it from rising in the first place.
A higher amount of positive experiences over time is associated with better cardiovascular health.
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So what exactly do social interactions have to do with blood pressure? The UCSF study mentioned above collected data daily from over 4000 participants—mainly adults around age 48—over the course of 21 days. Every day, the subjects evaluated their blood pressure, self-reported their stress levels, and responded to a questionnaire based on their recent social interactions. By analyzing this data, the researchers found that people with more frequent positive compared to negative experiences also recorded lower BPR levels.
Social interactions have an impact on emotional responses due to hormones released by the body, which influence the behavior of organs and impact mood. In times of stress, the brain triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which raises blood pressure to cause the heart to pump blood faster throughout the body. Since negative social interactions—such as an argument—tend to increase stress, this helps to explain why having less negative interactions may be linked with lower blood pressure.
The results of this study are a reminder of the importance of maintaining healthy relationships that will bring more positive interactions into daily life. Avoiding negative experiences or navigating them in a way that reduces stress can benefit not only the emotions felt in the moment, but long-term physical health as well. At the same time, positive experiences such as spending time with loved ones can help lower stress, once again promoting lower blood pressure reactivity and overall cardiovascular health.
Social interactions have an impact on emotional responses due to hormones released by the body, which influence the behavior of organs and impact mood. In times of stress, the brain triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which raises blood pressure to cause the heart to pump blood faster throughout the body. Since negative social interactions—such as an argument—tend to increase stress, this helps to explain why having less negative interactions may be linked with lower blood pressure.
The results of this study are a reminder of the importance of maintaining healthy relationships that will bring more positive interactions into daily life. Avoiding negative experiences or navigating them in a way that reduces stress can benefit not only the emotions felt in the moment, but long-term physical health as well. At the same time, positive experiences such as spending time with loved ones can help lower stress, once again promoting lower blood pressure reactivity and overall cardiovascular health.
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