A short burst of anger—especially one triggered by painful memories—might be more harmful to your heart than you think.
According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, just eight minutes of feeling angry can reduce the ability of your blood vessels to relax, which is an essential part of maintaining healthy blood flow.
This small change in your body could be a warning sign of future heart problems.
Scientists already know that negative emotions, especially anger, are linked to heart attacks and strokes.
But this study is among the first to closely examine how anger, sadness, and anxiety affect the health of blood vessels in real time.
The research was led by Dr. Daichi Shimbo, a professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York.
His team studied 280 healthy adults. The participants were randomly divided into four groups.
One group had to recall an event that made them very angry. Another group remembered a time that made them feel anxious. A third group read sad sentences, and the last group did a neutral task—counting numbers aloud.
Each emotional task lasted only eight minutes, but it had a noticeable impact. Before and after the task, researchers measured the participants’ blood pressure and blood flow, checked the health of their blood vessels, and took blood samples.
The results were most striking in the group that recalled anger. Within 40 minutes after the task, their blood vessels became less able to dilate, meaning they couldn’t relax and open up as easily. This effect disappeared after 40 minutes. Interestingly, the groups that experienced sadness or anxiety did not show the same changes.
Why does this matter? When blood vessels can’t relax properly, it puts more strain on the heart and increases the risk of atherosclerosis—a buildup of plaque in the arteries. Over time, this can lead to serious problems like heart attacks or strokes.
This study is part of a larger project called the PUME study (Putative mechanisms Underlying Myocardial infarction onset and Emotions), which investigates how emotional states can lead to heart problems. The study supports the idea that your mental health has a direct effect on your heart health.
According to Dr. Glenn Levine, a heart expert from Baylor College of Medicine, this research helps explain why emotional events—like breakups, deaths, or even watching stressful sports games—can trigger heart problems.
For example, a condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as “broken heart syndrome,” can be brought on by intense sadness or stress.
Participants in this study were mostly young, healthy people with no history of heart problems or mental illness. They weren’t taking medications and didn’t smoke. That means the results might be different for older adults or people with existing health issues.
Still, this study offers a clear takeaway: even short-term anger can have an immediate effect on your body, particularly your heart and blood vessels. More research is needed to understand the exact reasons behind these changes and how long they last.
But the message is clear: managing your emotions—especially anger—could be as important as diet and exercise when it comes to protecting your heart.
The study is published in Journal of the American Heart Association.
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