High blood pressure is known for raising the risk of heart disease, but new research shows it may also affect your personality and mental health.
A recent study from General Psychiatry found a strong connection between the lower number in a blood pressure reading—called diastolic pressure—and a personality trait known as neuroticism.
Neuroticism means someone often feels anxious, worried, angry, or self-conscious. People with this personality trait are more likely to suffer from stress, anxiety, or mood problems. This study shows that high diastolic blood pressure might actually cause or increase these feelings.
The researchers used a method called Mendelian randomization. It’s a way of using genetic information to understand whether one thing causes another.
They looked at small changes in people’s DNA, called SNPs (short for single nucleotide polymorphisms), to figure out if high blood pressure might lead to neuroticism. These genetic clues can show how our genes influence both our health and our behavior.
The team studied information from eight large genetic databases, mostly from people of European backgrounds. They found over 1,000 genetic markers related to blood pressure. From this, they discovered strong evidence that higher diastolic blood pressure is linked to higher levels of neurotic traits.
Surprisingly, the study did not find clear links between blood pressure and other mental health issues like depression or anxiety. This suggests that the connection to neuroticism is special and not just part of general mental health problems.
More than 90% of the genetic data pointed to diastolic pressure as the key factor. This means that keeping this part of blood pressure in check might help reduce things like constant worry, fear of being judged, and feeling emotionally unstable. In the long run, this could help lower the risk of mental health issues that often come with being highly neurotic.
This study also shows how closely connected the heart and brain are. High blood pressure may reduce blood flow to the brain or change how the nervous system works. These changes might shape our personality and emotions over time.
People who are already prone to neuroticism may find it harder to deal with stress, which in turn raises their blood pressure. This can create a cycle where both mental and physical health get worse together.
That’s why it’s so important to check and manage blood pressure regularly. Doing so can protect not only your heart but also your mental health. By focusing on keeping diastolic blood pressure at a healthy level, you might feel more emotionally stable and less overwhelmed by stress.
The research, led by Cai L and others, gives us a better understanding of how the body and mind work together. It shows why a complete approach to health—one that looks at both physical and mental well-being—is the best path to feeling better.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about breakfast for better blood pressure management, and the gut feeling that lowers blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how the dash diet helps lower blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
