If heartbreak doesn’t get you, rage just might. Here’s how anger wages war on your heart.
Anger is linked to a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease. According to a meta-analysis published in the European Heart Journal (Chida & Steptoe, 2009), chronic anger and hostility increase the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke. The fight-or-flight hormones constrict blood vessels, raise heart rate, and increase clotting—all bad news for your ticker.
To protect your heart, try paced breathing. Slowing your breath to 5–6 breaths per minute (about 10 seconds per full breath) activates your parasympathetic nervous system, lowering blood pressure and calming the heart rate—even in the middle of a meltdown.
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