Positive affect is associated with cardiovascular reactivity, norepinephrine level, and morning rise in salivary cortisol.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Positive affect was examined as a predictor of (1) cardiovascular reactivity during a sadness and an anger recall task and recovery following the protocol, (2) epinephrine (EPI) and norepinephrine (NOREPI) reactivity and level during the recall protocol, and (3) the diurnal pattern of salivary cortisol. Sample was 328 individuals. Negative affect, age, race, sex, smoking status, income, and BMI were adjusted. During sadness recall, positive affect was inversely related to systolic blood pressure (p=.007) and diastolic blood pressure (p=.049) reactivity, and unrelated to heart rate (p=.226). Positive affect was unrelated to reactivity during anger recall (ps>.19), and was unrelated to recovery at the end of the recall protocol. Positive affect was inversely related to the mean level of NOREPI (p=.046), and unrelated to EPI (p=.149). Positive affect was inversely related to the increase in cortisol 30 min post awakening (p=.042), and unrelated to the evening decline in cortisol levels (p=.174). Positive emotions may be relevant to good health.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Brummett, BH; Boyle, SH; Kuhn, CM; Siegler, IC; Williams, RB

Published Date

  • July 2009

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 46 / 4

Start / End Page

  • 862 - 869

PubMed ID

  • 19470128

Pubmed Central ID

  • PMC2733859

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1540-5958

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2009.00829.x

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States