Poor mental health impacts physical human health too, causing issues aligned to blood pressure and heart rate variations, cardiovascular diseases and even organ failure.
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This is according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of South Australia, University of Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, that reviewed 12 studies that looked at people¡¯s anxiety, depression, panic disorders etc and found that regardless of age, mental illness is very closely linked with greater blood pressure variations during the day.?
Researchers also found that for those who suffer from mental illness, their heart rate doesn¡¯t adapt to external stressors as expected.?
Researchers highlight that contrary to the belief, a healthy heart isn¡¯t one that beats at the same rate all the time, instead, it's one that adjusts based on environmental and psychological challenges.?
Reduced heart rate variation was commonly spotted in people with mental illness and was indicative of the fact that the body¡¯s stress response was poor, worsening the negative effects of chronic stress.
Moreover, even though blood pressure variations during the day aren¡¯t the most ideal, the systolic pressure at night is expected to dip around 10 to 20 percent to allow the heart to rest. However, researchers saw that people experiencing mental health issues don¡¯t see this drop at night.
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The reduction in dipping that can be under ten percent, could be due to several factors including poor sleep quality, disrupted circadian rhythms etc.?
Dr Renly Lim, one of the lead researchers on the study explains, "The takeaway from this study is that we need to pay more attention to the physical impacts of mental illness. It is a major global burden, affecting between 11-18 per cent (one billion) of people worldwide. Since mental illness can contribute to the deterioration of heart and blood pressure regulation, early therapeutic intervention is essential."?
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