Having a loving partner in mind would help fight stress, according to a study – Xinhua

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) – A new study suggests that thinking about your romantic partner can help keep your blood pressure under control when you are in a stressful situation.

According to the study of psychologists at the University of Arizona (UA), published in the journal Psychophysiology, thinking of another significant one is just as effective as having it in the room with you.

As part of the study, 102 participants were asked to complete a stressful task: dive one foot into 3 inches of cold water ranging between 38 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

The researchers measured the blood pressure, heart rate, and variability of the participants' heart rate before, during, and after the task.

Participants, who were in committed romantic relationships, were randomly badigned to one of three conditions when performing the task. They had either their important partner sitting quietly in the room, thinking about their loving partner as a source of support, or thinking about their workday.

Those who had their physically present partner in the room or who thought about their partner were less reactive to the stress of cold water than participants who were asked to think about their day.

"The findings may help explain, in part, why high-quality love relationships are consistently badociated with positive health effects in the scientific literature," said Kyle Bourbada, PhD student in psychology at AU, lead author of l & # 39; study.

"Life is full of stress, and one of the critical ways to deal with this stress is to nurture relationships – either directly with our partner or by appealing to a mental image of that person," said Bourbada.