If you’re experiencing stress, a new study suggests that you should think about your partner giving you support can help you cope better.
Stress alleviated by relationships
The research comes from a team of University of Arizona psychologists who had 102 volunteers undertake a stressful task.
The participants were told to dip one foot into water that was between 38 and 40 degrees. The researchers measured the volunteers’ heart rate, blood pressure and heart rate variability before, during and after they dipped their foot in the cold water.
All the volunteers were in long-term relationships. The experiment involved splitting them into three groups:
• Group #1 had their partners sitting next to them (without talking) while dipping their foot in the water.
• Group #2 was told to imagine receiving support from their partner while dipping their foot in the water.
• Group #3 was told to think about their day (not about their partner) while dipping their foot in the water.
The findings on stress, blood pressure and love
Although all three groups saw their heart rate and heart rate variability remain consistent throughout the experiment, the groups that had their partner present (Group #1) or whose members were told to think about their partner providing support (Group #2) had lower blood pressure than those who simply thought about the events of their day (Group #3).
“This suggests that one way being in a romantic relationship might support people’s health is through allowing people to better cope with stress and lower levels of cardiovascular reactivity to stress across the day,” says Kyle Bourassa, a senior study author. “And it appears that thinking of your partner as a source of support can be just as powerful as actually having them present.”
The researchers point out, however, that this study’s volunteers were college undergrads. They hope that future studies will include participants of other ages.
