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In a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology (January 2000;
5:75-85), 160 men and 24 women who had a history of heart disease or heart
attack, underwent an exercise stress test on a treadmill to measure levels of
ischemia. Ischemia refers to a reduced oxygen supply to the heart muscle, which
can lead to an increased risk of heart attack. It is usually measured during
physical exertion on treadmill tests
The subjects also took part in a second test where they engaged in two
five-minute mental stress tests. The tests involved a confrontational
role-playing game and a computerized word game. Participants who reported high
levels of anger or irritability during role-playing were more likely to
experience ischemia. Women subjects were more prone to ischemia as men may be
less likely to admit that they were angry.
The study however highlighted that most incidences of ischemia result from
mental stress and not during physical exercise. This could be attributed to the
fact that people probably spend more of their time mentally stressed than
physically stressed. Researchers advised that anger management could help reduce
one's risk to heart attack.
Information provided is courtesy of and compiled by the Academy of Anti-Aging
Research staffs, editors, and other reports.
Anti-Aging Perspective :
One of the 5 pillars of anti-aging is the management of stress. Emotional
stress upsets the body's hormonal system, including the release of cortisol, the
'bad' hormone. It is very important to have strategies in place, which will help
diffuse anger. Anger management is one of the major issues of many, especially
those that have Type A personality. Successful stress management techniques
include breathing exercises, yoga, qigong, and meditation.