Health
Anger can increase heart attack risk, study finds: ‘Chronic insult to arteries’
Seeing red could spike your heart disease risk, experts are warning.
Feeling angry for as little as eight minutes a day could raise your chances of experiencing a cardiac event, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (AHA).
The study included 280 healthy young adults with no history of heart disease, stroke, serious mental health conditions or other chronic illnesses, according to an AHA press release.
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The participants first spent 30 minutes in a relaxed state, while doctors gauged their blood pressure, blood vessel health and other cardiac measurements.
Next, the participants were randomly assigned eight-minute tasks, while the heart-related measurements were tracked.
Feeling angry for as little as eight minutes a day could raise your chances of experiencing a cardiac event, according to a new study. (iStock)
One group was told to think about anger-inducing experiences.
A second group was asked to recall memories that triggered anxiety.
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A third group was tasked with reading passages that made them feel sad — and the final group was told to simply count out loud to achieve a neutral mindset.
Among those who were told to recall anger-inducing memories, their blood vessel dilation was reduced by 50% within 40 minutes of the task — which put them at a greater risk of heart attack or stroke.
The restricted dilation was temporary, but experts expressed concern that a longer duration of anger could have more adverse effects.
“Anger likely increases cortisol levels, which, in turn, raises blood pressure and could likely decrease vascular dilation,” an expert warned. (iStock)
“We showed that if you get angry once, it impairs your ability to dilate,” said lead study author Dr. Daichi Shimbo, a cardiologist and co-director of the hypertension center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, in the release.
“But what if you get angry 10,000 times over a lifetime? This chronic insult to your arteries may eventually lead to permanent damage.”
Anxiety and sadness did not have this same effect.
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Elizabeth Sharp, M.D., founder and director of Health Meets Wellness in New York, New York, was not involved in the study, but said the results were “not particularly surprising.”
“Anger likely increases cortisol levels, which, in turn, raises blood pressure and could likely decrease vascular dilation,” she told Fox News Digital.
“This study showed that anger can cause acute, measurable changes in blood vessel function, which could be detrimental to cardiovascular health in the long run,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“It’s a well-known adage that ‘stress is a killer,’ and there are numerous physiological explanations for this,” she went on.
“However, I would argue that it’s more about chronic stress, or that a stress response might reveal an underlying condition, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), which was already present.”
“There are three major ways to deal with anger: express it, suppress it or calm it.”
Dr. Jim Liu, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, also offered external input on the study.
“Psychosocial factors play an important role in cardiovascular disease, because the body’s nervous system provides a lot of input in regulating the heart and blood vessels,” he told Fox News Digital.
“This study showed that anger can cause acute, measurable changes in blood vessel function, which could be detrimental to cardiovascular health in the long run.”
People can reduce their heart attack risk by finding healthy ways to manage anger, experts say. (iStock)
The findings serve as a reminder that there are many factors that influence heart health, Liu noted.
“We all know about the traditional risk factors, such as smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure — and with this study, perhaps there should also be an increased emphasis on mental health and psychosocial factors.”
7 smart strategies to cope with anger
People can reduce their heart attack risk by finding healthy ways to manage anger, experts say.
“There are three major ways to deal with anger — express it, suppress it or calm it,” said Dr. Gary Small, chair of the psychiatry department at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
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“When we suppress our anger, we hold it in and force ourselves to focus on something — often positive thoughts — to distract us,” he went on.
“A potential pitfall of anger suppression is that it festers and can elevate blood pressure and lead to depression.”
Research has shown that daily meditation will improve mood and cognitive function, according to a cardiologist. (iStock)
Dr. Small shared the following seven strategies to help people cope with anger.
1. Recognize your triggers
Try to develop an awareness of what triggers angry feelings, Small advised.
“For some people, being ignored ticks them off, while others have difficulty accepting criticism,” he told Fox News Digital.
“When you identify what sets you off, you will be better equipped to gain control of your anger.”
2. Learn to relax
Research has shown that daily meditation will improve mood and cognitive function, according to Small.
“This strategy involves regulating our behavior when we are angry by controlling our internal physiological responses like muscle tension and breathing,” the doctor said.
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“Recognizing your triggers gives you a heads-up of when to calm yourself and relax through deep, slow breathing, conjuring up serene mental imagery, and meditation.”
3. Think twice before erupting
“Because of the negative health and social effects of uncontrolled expressions of rage, try to avoid outbursts,” Small advised.
“Rather than exploding, take a pause and recall what triggered your aggression.”
4. Get physical
Engaging in regular physical exercise — maybe even hitting a punching bag at the gym — can help reduce anger-induced stress, Small said.
Engaging in regular physical exercise can help reduce anger-induced stress, a doctor said. (iStock)
5. Alter your thinking
“If you find yourself in a fit of rage, you may not be thinking clearly, because your brain’s amygdala (emotional control center) overtakes its frontal lobe (reasoning center),” Small said.
Attempt to replace your angry thoughts with rational ones, the doctor suggested.
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“Also keep in mind that your anger is not going to solve the problem or frustration at hand,” he added.
6. Learn to communicate your needs
Taking an anger management class can help those who tend to “fly off the handle,” Small said, while assertiveness training can help people who suppress their anger learn to communicate their needs to others.
Taking an anger management class can help those who tend to “fly off the handle,” a cardiologist said. (iStock)
7. Consider professional help
“Anger issues may reflect other underlying mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression,” Small noted.
Seeing a mental health professional can help people identify underlying problems and cope with anger in a more constructive way.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for additional comment on their findings.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Welcome to the Brain Health Challenge! I’m Dana Smith, a reporter at The New York Times, and I’ll be your guide.
To live a healthy life, it’s crucial to have a healthy brain. In the short term, it keeps you sharp and firing on all cylinders. In the long term, it can reduce your risk of cognitive decline, dementia and stroke.
Practicing basic healthy behaviors, like eating nutritious food and getting regular exercise, is the best way to enhance your brain power and protect the longevity of your neurons. These types of lifestyle habits can benefit the brain at any age. And while they won’t guarantee that you’ll never develop dementia or another brain disease, several clinical trials have shown that they can improve cognition or slow decline.
Every day this week, you’ll do an activity that’s good for your brain, and we’ll dig into the science behind why it works. Some of these activities can provide a small immediate cognitive benefit, but the bigger reward comes from engaging in them consistently over time. So along with the neuroscience lessons, we’ll include a few tips to help you turn these actions into lasting habits.
To keep you accountable, we’re encouraging you to complete this challenge with a friend. If you don’t have a challenge buddy, no problem: We’re also turning the comments section into one big support group.
There are so many fascinating ways your daily behaviors affect your brain. Take sleep, for example.
Lots of studies have shown that getting a good night’s rest (seven to eight hours) is associated with better memory and other cognitive abilities. That’s because sleep, especially REM sleep, is when your brain transfers short-term memories — things you learned or experienced during the day — into long-term storage.
Sleep is also when your brain does its daily housekeeping. While you rest, the brain’s glymphatic system kicks into high gear, clearing out abnormal proteins and other molecular garbage, including the protein amyloid, which is a major contributor to Alzheimer’s disease. A buildup of amyloid is one reason experts think that people who routinely get less sleep have a higher risk of dementia.
What other behaviors play a big role in brain health? For today’s activity, we’re going to test your knowledge with a quiz. Share your score with your accountability partner and in the comments below — I’ll be in there too, cheering you on.
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An often-overlooked part of the body may reveal important clues about overall health.
Researchers from the University of Westminster in the U.K. discovered that the shape of the gluteus maximus muscle in the buttocks changes with age, gender, lifestyle and frailty, as well as certain conditions like osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes.
Using advanced MRI scans that create 3D images, researchers revealed “distinct” patterns in the gluteus maximus associated with type 2 diabetes.
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This suggested that the shape of the muscle, rather than the size, may “reflect underlying metabolic differences,” a press release stated.
The findings were presented in December at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.
Butt shape may indicate underlying health conditions, according to new research. (iStock)
Unlike previous studies looking at muscle size or fat, the 3D imaging identified exactly where the muscle changes occur, according to the researchers.
As one of the largest muscles in the human body, the gluteus maximus “plays a key role” in metabolic health, according to lead study author E. Louise Thomas, Ph.D., professor of metabolic imaging at the University of Westminster’s School of Life Sciences.
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The researchers analyzed more than 61,000 MRI scans from a large UK health database to better understand the muscle’s structure.
The data also included the participants’ physical measurements, demographics, disease biomarkers, medical history and lifestyle habits. The researchers studied how these variables were linked to muscle shape over time.
An infographic from the Radiological Society of North America presentation displays research findings on the shape of the gluteus maximus. (RSNA)
“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape, while aging, frailty and long sitting times were linked to muscle thinning,” study co-author Marjola Thanaj, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at the University of Westminster’s Research Centre for Optimal Health, said in the release.
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The researchers concluded that butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients.
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Men with type 2 diabetes showed muscle shrinkage, while women displayed enlarged muscle, likely due to “infiltration of fat” within it, according to the researchers.
These results suggest that men and women have “very different biological responses to the same disease,” Thanaj suggested.
Butt shape changes may indicate an “early functional decline” and “metabolic compromise” in type 2 diabetes patients. (iStock)
Men who were categorized as “frail” were recognized as having more “general shrinkage” across the gluteus maximus, but women experienced a “limited” frailty effect.
Building strong glutes for better health
Strengthening the glutes is an “investment in long-term health,” according to Tanya Becker, co-founder of Physique 57 in New York City.
“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention,” she told Fox News Digital.
“While full-body strength training is essential, focusing on your glutes — the largest muscle group in your body — deserves special attention.” (iStock)
Becker refers to the glutes as the body’s “shock absorbers,” because they protect the lower back, knees and hips from taking on stress they weren’t designed to handle.
Larger muscle groups also burn more calories and help regulate blood sugar, the expert added, noting that muscles are often referred to as the “organ of longevity.”
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Strengthening the glutes also helps to protect the lower back, hips and knees, and also improves posture and balance, reducing the risk of falls and improving mobility.
“People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape.”
Becker recommends traditional weighted exercises like squats, lunges and bridges, although they are not suited for everyone, especially older adults with injuries and joint pain.
“Pilates and barre classes offer bodyweight exercises that are ideal for beginners or individuals with physical limitations,” she suggested. “They can be done anytime, anywhere, making them accessible for beginners before progressing to weighted versions.”
Glute bridges (demonstrated above) are a recommended exercise for strengthening those muscles. (iStock)
Becker shared the following three glute exercises that improve hip mobility, stability and overall strength.
No. 1: Quadruped leg lifts (strengthens entire core and glutes)
Start on the hands and knees, engage your core, and lift one leg off the floor (bent or straight). Pulse up and down a few inches for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat on the other leg.
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No. 2: Clamshells (strengthens gluteus medius)
Lie on your side with knees bent at 90 degrees in front of you. Lift your top knee away from your bottom knee, then lower slowly.
For an increased challenge, lift both feet off the ground while keeping the heels together. Repeat for 30 to 60 seconds per side.
Strong muscles are responsible for maintaining metabolic health, according to Becker. (iStock)
No. 3: Glute bridges (strengthens lower back and glutes)
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet parallel, a few inches from your hips. Engage your abs, and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward knee height, then lower.
If you feel pressure in your neck, you’ve lifted too high. Perform for 30 to 60 seconds. Complete three sets with 30-second rests between them.
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Those looking to start a new fitness routine should first consult with a doctor.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.
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What if your New Year’s resolution could fit inside a tote bag? Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities.
The trend is widely credited to TikTok creator Sierra Campbell, who posted about her own analog bag — containing a crossword book, portable watercolor set, Polaroid camera, planner and knitting supplies — and encouraged followers to make their own.
Her video prompted many others to share their own versions, with items like magazines, decks of cards, paints, needlepoint and puzzle books.
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“I made a bag of non-digital activities to occupy my hands instead of the phone,” said Campbell, adding that the practice has significantly cut her screen time and filled her life with “creative and communal pursuits that don’t include doom-scrolling.”
“I created the analog bag after learning the only way to change a habit is to replace it with another,” she told Fox News Digital.
Social media users are trying the “analog bag” trend, replacing phones with offline activities like cameras, notebooks and magazines. (Fox News Digital)
The science of healthier habits
Research on habit formation supports the idea of the analog bag, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, a California-based psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics.
“Your brain is a creature of habit,” Amen said during an interview with Fox News Digital. “Neurons that fire together wire together, meaning that every time you repeat a behavior, whether it’s good or bad, you strengthen the neural pathways that make it easier to do it again.”
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Studies show that habits are automatic responses to specific cues — such as boredom, stress or idle time — that typically deliver some kind of reward, according to the doctor. When no alternative behavior is available, people tend to fall back on the same routine, often without realizing it.
Research suggests that replacing an old habit with a new one tied to the same cue is more effective than trying to suppress the behavior altogether.
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“[When] cutting out coffee — you need to have another drink to grab for, not just quit cold turkey. It’s how the pathways in our brains work,” Campbell said.
By substituting a different routine that still provides stimulation and engagement, people can gradually weaken the original habit and build a new automatic response.
Substituting another activity instead of scrolling on your phone can help quell the impulse to reach for it. (iStock)
“Simply stopping a behavior is very challenging,” Amen said. “Replacing one habit with something that is better for your brain is much easier. That’s how lasting change happens, one step at a time.”
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If alternatives are within arm’s reach, people will be more likely to use them, the doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.”
Instead of saying, “I’ll stop scrolling today,” the doctor recommends choosing a small habit you can do in a few moments in specific situations, like knitting 10 rows of a scarf on your commute or reading a few pages of a book while waiting at the doctor’s office.
“If alternatives are within arm’s reach, you’re more likely to use them,” a brain doctor said. “Your brain does much better with small, simple actions than big, vague intentions.” (iStock)
Campbell shared her own examples of how to use an analog bag. At a coffee shop with friends, she said, she might pull out a crossword puzzle and ask others to help with answers when the conversation lulls.
Instead of taking dozens of photos on her phone, she uses an instant camera, which limits shots and encourages more intentional moments.
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In casual outdoor settings, such as a park or winery, she brings a small watercolor set for a quick creative outlet.
“It’s brought so much joy,” Campbell said of the analog bag trend, “seeing how it resonates with so many.”
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