High blood pressure is usually thought of as a problem for the heart, but new research shows it might also affect the way people think and feel. A recent study has found a link between diastolic blood pressure—the lower number in a blood pressure reading—and a personality trait called neuroticism.
Neuroticism is a trait that makes people more likely to feel anxious, sad, insecure, or easily upset. People who are more neurotic often worry a lot, get stressed easily, and may take criticism very personally. They are also more likely to experience mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.
The study suggests that keeping diastolic blood pressure under control may not only protect physical health, but also help people feel more emotionally stable and less overwhelmed by stress.
To study this connection, researchers used a method called Mendelian randomization. This technique looks at people’s genes to understand whether one health issue might directly cause another.
In this case, they looked at how genetic traits related to blood pressure might also be linked to personality traits. Since 30% to 60% of a person’s blood pressure is influenced by genes, this approach helped scientists explore a possible cause-and-effect relationship.
The team looked at genetic data from eight large studies involving people of European background. They found that people with higher diastolic blood pressure were more likely to have high levels of neuroticism.
The link between blood pressure and personality was mainly driven by diastolic pressure—the lower number in the blood pressure reading, which measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting between beats.
Interestingly, the researchers did not find strong evidence that blood pressure caused anxiety or depression directly. However, the connection with neuroticism was clear, and more than 90% of this effect came from the diastolic reading.
It’s not yet fully understood why this happens, but scientists think that blood pressure affects both the heart and the brain. If diastolic pressure is too high for a long time, it might impact brain function in a way that makes a person more emotionally sensitive or stressed.
In other words, having high blood pressure might not just be bad for the heart—it could also make people feel more negative emotions and react more strongly to stress.
There’s also another side to this connection. People who are more neurotic may be more likely to feel constant stress or anxiety, which can raise blood pressure. This creates a cycle where high blood pressure and emotional stress feed into each other, making both physical and mental health worse over time.
This study shows that managing blood pressure can have benefits beyond heart health. Keeping your diastolic pressure in a healthy range might help you feel more emotionally balanced, less anxious, and more secure.
That’s why regular blood pressure checks, a healthy diet, staying active, and following your doctor’s advice are so important—not just for your body, but also for your mind.
The research, led by Dr. Cai L and published in General Psychiatry, opens up a new way of thinking about how physical and mental health are connected. By taking care of one, you may be helping the other, too.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
