Grief can be so intense that it actually increases your blood pressure. This is what a group of researchers found in a recent study.
This discovery means that feeling really sad after losing a loved one could potentially lead to heart problems.
What is Grief?
Grief is a very strong feeling of sadness. It usually happens when we lose someone or something we care about a lot. Losing a loved one is one of the hardest experiences we can go through.
What did the Researchers Do?
The researchers were inspired by the idea that you can “die of a broken heart”. This refers to when someone dies soon after losing a loved one.
The main researcher, Mary-Frances O’Connor, specializes in studying grief.
They worked with 59 people who had recently lost a loved one. They wanted to see if their blood pressure was affected by their grief.
Roman Palitsky, another researcher involved, said they wanted to see the “heart effects” of grief.
How did the Study Work?
First, the researchers asked the participants to think about their feelings of loss and attachment, or what they called “grief recall”.
They wanted the participants to remember how alone they felt after their loved one died.
Then, they measured their blood pressure. It’s similar to when a heart doctor does a stress test. They make you do some exercise and measure your blood pressure to see how your heart is working.
What did they Find Out?
After thinking about their grief, the participants’ blood pressure went up. On average, it went up by 21.1 millimeters of mercury – that’s the unit used to measure blood pressure.
This rise in blood pressure is what you’d expect during moderate exercise.
The participants who felt the most grief also had the highest increase in blood pressure. This shows that it’s not just the loss itself, but how we emotionally respond to the loss that can affect our hearts.
Why is this Important?
This study helps doctors understand the health risks for people who are grieving. High blood pressure can lead to other heart problems.
So, people who are grieving should take care of their health and have regular medical check-ups.
Mary-Frances O’Connor says it’s especially important for people who have been taking care of a dying loved one to look after their own health.
It’s easy to forget about your own health when you’re busy caring for someone else.
In conclusion, grief doesn’t just hurt your feelings; it can also hurt your heart. That’s why it’s so important to take care of your physical health when you’re going through a tough time emotionally.
If you care about health, please read studies about the benefits of low-dose lithium supplements, and what we know about egg intake and heart disease.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about potatoes and high blood pressure, and results showing 6 best breads for people with heart disease.
The study was published in Psychosomatic Medicine.
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