Anger and your health

You have probably heard that anger is "bad for your heart." There is some truth to that. Anger changes your body in the moment, and people who are angry or hostile much of the time do have more heart problems in many studies.^1,2

But the full picture is more careful than the headlines. This page explains what research has found about anger and the heart, blood pressure, sleep, pain, relationships and work. It also explains what the research does not show yet, so you can weigh it for yourself.

What happens in your body when you get angry

Anger sets off the body's alarm system. Your heart beats faster and your blood pressure climbs. Your body releases adrenaline and noradrenaline, hormones that prepare you to act fast.¹

A 2024 study looked at what this does to blood vessels. Researchers asked 280 healthy young adults to recall an angry memory, an anxious memory, a sad memory, or to simply count. After recalling anger, people's blood vessels did not widen as well as normal for up to 40 minutes. The effect was gone by 70 minutes. Anxiety and sadness did not have a clear effect.⁴

Healthy blood vessels need to widen easily. But the study only measured short-term changes in healthy young people. It cannot show whether repeated anger causes lasting harm.⁴

Anger, hostility and heart disease

Long-term risk. Hostility means a habit of cynical, distrustful thinking about other people. A large 2009 review combined 25 studies of healthy people and 18 studies of people who already had heart disease. Anger and hostility were linked with a 19% higher risk of heart disease events in healthy people, and a 24% higher risk of worse outcomes in people with heart disease.²

To put that in plain terms: the risk was higher, but not hugely so. The link was stronger in men than in women. When studies took smoking, physical activity, weight and income into account, the link was no longer clear.² That suggests that much of the risk may come through habits. People who are often angry may also smoke more, drink more or move less.

Outbursts as a trigger. A different question is whether a single outburst can set off a heart attack or stroke in the hours that follow. A 2014 review pulled together nine studies that compared the hours right after an angry outburst with other times in the same people. All of them found more heart problems, such as heart attacks, strokes or dangerous heart rhythms, in the 2 hours after an outburst.³ The studies varied a lot in their results.³

These studies show that timing matters. They do not tell you how likely any one outburst is to cause harm. If you have heart disease, ask your doctor how anger and stress fit into your care.

Blood pressure

Anger raises blood pressure for a short time. So does stress. Once the moment passes, blood pressure usually goes back to where it was.^1,5

Whether anger causes lasting high blood pressure is less clear. The American Heart Association says the links between long-term stress and blood pressure are still being studied.⁵ The American Psychological Association notes that anger that is held in may contribute to high blood pressure.¹ The question is not settled.

What is clear is that stress and anger can push people toward habits that do raise blood pressure, such as eating poorly and drinking too much alcohol.⁵ If you have high blood pressure, managing anger is a reasonable part of a heart-healthy plan, alongside the treatment your doctor recommends.

Sleep

The link between sleep and anger has strong evidence in one direction: sleep loss makes anger worse.

• In an experiment with 142 adults, people who cut back on sleep for two nights felt angrier than people who slept normally. They also stayed annoyed by an unpleasant noise instead of getting used to it.⁶
• A review of research found that poor sleep is linked with more aggression, irritability and hostility. Sleep loss seems to weaken the brain's ability to put the brakes on angry impulses. A small number of studies suggest that treating sleep problems can reduce aggression.⁷

Most people do not become violent from poor sleep. But if you notice a shorter fuse after bad nights, sleep is a good place to start. See Insomnia and CBT for insomnia.

Pain

Pain and anger often go together. A review of 38 studies of people with long-term pain found that those with more anger tended to have more pain and more disability. The links were small to moderate. Feeling that the pain was unfair was even more strongly linked to how much it hurt.¹²

These studies cannot tell which comes first. Pain can make anyone irritable, and anger may make pain feel worse. See Chronic pain and mood.

Relationships, family and work

Anger may do its biggest harm to the people around us.

• In a survey of more than 34,000 U.S. adults, people with poorly controlled anger had lower day-to-day functioning, such as in work and relationships.⁸
• In a national study of intermittent explosive disorder, people with the condition reported an average of 43 outbursts in their lifetime. These caused property damage and injuries to others.⁹
• Violence between partners is common. More than 1 in 3 women and more than 1 in 6 men in the U.S. have experienced physical or sexual violence or stalking by a partner. About 1 in 5 homicide victims are killed by a partner.¹⁰

If someone uses anger to frighten or control a partner, see Helping someone with an anger problem for safety steps and where to get help.

Anger in later life

One study followed 226 adults aged 59 to 93. In people 80 and older, daily anger was linked with more inflammation (a sign that the immune system is on alert) and more chronic illness. This was not true for people under 80, and sadness was not linked with either.¹¹ The authors suggest that anger may become more harmful when losses can no longer be undone.¹¹ This was one small study, so more research is needed. See Anger and irritability in later life.

What the research shows, and what it does not

The authors of the large heart review suggested that managing anger may help protect the heart.² That idea makes sense, but it still needs to be tested in good trials.

What you can do

The steps that calm anger also support your body:

• Learn your warning signs and take a break before anger peaks. See Self-help for anger.
• Practice a calming skill each day, such as cyclic sighing or muscle relaxation.
• Protect your sleep, move your body, and go easy on alcohol.
• Keep up with blood pressure checks and heart care.
• If anger is frequent or hard to control, ask about treatment for anger problems. It works for many people.

Common questions

Can getting angry cause a heart attack?

Heart attacks are more common in the 2 hours after an angry outburst than at other times.³ That does not mean an outburst will cause one. If you have heart disease, talk with your doctor about anger and stress. For sudden chest pain or trouble breathing, call 911.

Is it healthier to let anger out or keep it in?

Neither extreme is best. Holding anger in may contribute to high blood pressure, and blowing up hurts people and relationships.¹ Calming your body and then saying what bothers you in a firm, respectful way is the healthiest path.¹

When to get help

Talk with your doctor if you have heart disease or high blood pressure and notice frequent anger, or if anger is affecting your sleep, relationships or work. Ask whether anger management or talk therapy could be part of your care.

Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness or trouble speaking. Call or text 988 if anger comes with thoughts of hurting yourself.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.