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In the journals

Do you feel you have a purpose in your life � or perhaps think you will never find one? The answer could influence your overall well-being, says a recent study in the January/February 2020 issue of The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Researchers asked 1,042 adults, average age 65, to fill out questionnaires about meaning in their lives, and compared their responses with data on their physical and mental well-being. Respondents who believed they had meaning in their life had better physical and mental health scores and higher cognitive function compared with those who didn't.

Does stress really turn hair gray? Scientists conducted experiments that simulated stress and led to gray hair—in mice, which does not mean it’s true for humans, regardless of what you may have heard in the media.

An increasing body of research shows that dog ownership may boost heart health.

Looking to improve your heart health? You might want to think about getting a dog.

A growing body of scientific research suggests that having a canine companion is associated with number of health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health. "Numerous studies from Scandinavia, England and the United States suggest that dog owners have better health than individuals who don't own dogs. But what we really want to know is whether owning dogs produces better health or if it just means that healthier individuals are more likely to own dogs," says Dr. Dhruv Satish Kazi, a cardiologist and associate director of the Smith Center of Outcomes Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a member of the faculty of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Ask the doctors

Q. I've heard a lot recently about inflammation being a health risk, but I'm not sure I really understand what it is. Can you explain?

A. When people talk about inflammation, they're actually talking about your immune system's response to a perceived injury or infection. When you're injured, this inflammation is actually a good thing. The area you injured will become red and swell as an army of beneficial white blood cells flow in to fight infection and help you heal. The same response occurs in other parts of your body when you encounter a virus or infection. But sometimes this immune response occurs when it shouldn't. It can be triggered, for example, when you are exposed to toxins, and by other causes such as chronic stress, obesity, and autoimmune disorders. In these cases, instead of moving in, healing the problem, and then returning to normal, the inflammation persists over time. It's thought that this chronic state of inflammation can lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer's disease, and even cancer.

Research we're watching

A long work week may raise your blood pressure, according to a study published online Dec. 19, 2019, by Hypertension. Researchers found that among more than 3,500 Canadian workers, those who worked 49 hours a week or more were more likely to have high blood pressure than workers who were on the job fewer than 35 hours a week. Blood pressure was measured at the start and end of the five-year study as well as once midway through. Readings were taken by both a trained technician and a wearable monitoring device. Even after adjusting for other factors, the 49-hour-plus workers were 70% more likely to have a type of high blood pressure called masked hypertension (normal blood pressure readings at doctor visits but high outside of that setting) and 66% more likely to have sustained hypertension (defined as consistently high blood pressure readings both in and outside of the doctor's office). People who worked 41 to 48 hours a week also had higher blood pressure than those who worked fewer than 35 hours a week.

Image: NicoElNino/Getty Images

Research we're watching

Long-term exposure to traffic noise has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease. New research reveals additional clues about this connection.

Researchers studied nearly 500 adults over a five-year period and gathered traffic and aircraft noise data for each person's home address. After adjusting for other factors that contribute to cardiovascular risk (including air pollution), they found that every 5-decibel increase in the average 24-hour noise level was associated with a 34% increase in heart attacks, strokes, and other serious heart-related problems.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in the body’s system for reward and pleasure. A recent trend has people avoiding stimulating activities in the belief that doing so allows the body to reset from being overstimulated, but the original idea has been misunderstood and wrongly applied.

Changing your mindset doesn't mean taking a Pollyanna view of the world. The key isn't to deny stress, but to recognize and acknowledge it—and then to find the upside, because a full-throttle fight-or-flight response is not the only possible reaction to stress (at least when the stress does not involve a potentially life-threatening situation).

In people with a more stress-hardy mindset, the stress response is often tempered by the challenge response, which accounts for the so-called excite-and-delight experience that some people have in stressful situations, such as skydiving. Like the typical stress response, the challenge response also affects the cardiovascular system, but instead of constricting blood vessels and ramping up inflammation in anticipation of wounds, it allows for maximum blood flow, much like exercise.

Chronic stress is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. These strategies can help you manage it.

People often complain about stress, but it's actually a natural reaction with an essential purpose.

When the body senses danger, it starts its fight-or-flight response. Your nervous system releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which jolt the body into a protective mode. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breathing quickens, and your senses sharpen.

Ask the doctors

Q. I have a very stressful job, and recently my blood pressure readings started going up. Could my job stress be the reason why?

A. Yes, chronic stress can affect blood pressure. Several hormones affect your heart's rhythm, including epinephrine and norepinephrine. When these hormone levels rise, your heart starts to work harder. Stress hormones can also constrict your blood vessels, causing temporary blood pressure spikes.