Mind your pressure: A study on the effect of trait mindfulness on resting blood pressure

Abstract

Higher elevations in resting blood pressure in normotensive individuals has been correlated to a psychophysiological phenomenon known as cardiovascular emotional dampening, which is characterized by reduced emotional response, pain analgesia, and increased risk-taking behavior. Additionally, recent research has correlated cardiovascular emotional dampening to hypertension and have found that the lack of emotional response to stressors can develop a positive feedback loop which may lead to hypertension. Trait mindfulness is a concept correlated to emotion regulation, self-awareness, and metacognition. This study aimed to evaluate trait mindfulness and elevations in resting blood pressure in a sample of 86 normotensive college students. Results revealed that there is potential for a negative correlational relationship between the describing facet of trait mindfulness and resting systolic blood pressure, but there was no definitive significance following a simultaneous multiple regression. As resting blood pressure was not a unique predictor of trait mindfulness, the findings of the present study imply that emotional dampening phenomenon might have a limited impact on our ability to be mindful. The implication of which for the prevention of hypertension and heart disease are discussed.