People were asked how they generally coped with stress and were given a blood test for markers of bodily inflammation.
People who express their emotions more freely tend to have a stronger immune system, research finds.
In contrast, avoiding expressing the emotions is linked to more inflammation in the body, suggesting the immune system is not working as well.
Other studies have shown that loneliness, poor sleep and stress can also damage the functioning of the immune system.
The current research was conducted in the context of bereavement, explained Dr Christopher Fagundes, study co-author:
“There has been work focused on the link between emotion regulation and health after romantic breakups, which shows that distracting oneself from thoughts of the loss may be helpful.
However, the death of a spouse is a very different experience because neither person initiated the separation or can attempt to repair the relationship.”
The study included almost 100 people who had all recently lost a spouse.
They were asked how they generally coped psychologically with stress and were given a blood test for markers of bodily inflammation.
Dr Fagundes said:
“Bodily inflammation is linked to a host of negative health conditions, including serious cardiovascular issues like stroke and heart attack.”
The results showed that people who habitually bottle up their emotions tend to have greater signs of bodily inflammation, suggesting their immune systems are not functioning as well.
Dr Fagundes said:
“These findings really highlight the importance of acknowledging one’s emotions after the death of a spouse rather than bottling them up.”
The research shows the importance of expressing emotions both for mental health and the immune system.
Dr Richard Lopez, the study’s first author, said:
“The research also suggests that not all coping strategies are created equal, and that some strategies can backfire and have harmful effects, especially in populations experiencing particularly intense emotions in the face of significant life stressors, such as losing a loved one.”
The study was published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine (Lopez et al., 2020).
