How Your Feelings Affect Your Body

Your emotions have a much bigger impact on your physical health than you might think

WHEN YOU’RE ANGRY

Your body experiences a surge of testosterone and your heart rate and blood pressure increase.

The health risk: You’re almost five times more likely to have a heart attack in the two hours after an angry outburst, and your risk of stroke is three times higher. And anger motivates us to seek rewards, which is why a glass of wine might look more appealing than ever.

Regain control by: Asking yourself if you’re hungry. Hunger reduces the brain’s serotonin levels, which affects our ability to regulate anger, so to avoid losing your temper, don’t skip meals. And try using your non-dominant hand as much as possible – people who did that for 14 days were better at controlling their aggression.

WHEN YOU WORRY

About things before they happen or when you make a mistake, the decision-making part of your brain struggles, forcing other brain regions to work harder.

The health risk: Your brain won’t perform as well on everyday tasks and gets fatigued quickly. Plus, if worrying raises your stress levels, your risk of Alzheimer’s rises, with research proving that women who tick both of those boxes double their dementia risk.

Regain control by: Writing down what’s worrying you, which physically clears brain space for other tasks. And don’t shelve the worry – suppressing it increases anxiety.

WHEN YOU FEEL JEALOUS