How Do Emotions Affect Your Health?
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Medically reviewed by Dakari Quimby, PhD
Everyone experiences a wide variety of emotions each day. Regardless of which emotion you're experiencing, your emotions will depend on how your mind and body interpret a particular situation. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines emotions as subjective mental reactions that also involve behavioral and physical responses. In short, your emotions can affect your mind, actions, and body.
Because emotions are such an important part of your everyday life, it's vital to know what they are, why you feel them, how they affect you, and what you can do to manage them. Learning to recognize and cope with your emotions can help prevent negative mental and physical consequences as well as improve your relationships and your day-to-day life.
Types of Emotions
Emotions can be broken down into two categories—basic emotions and complex emotions. Basic emotions are associated with recognizable facial expressions and tend to happen automatically. The six basic emotions are:
Typically, these emotions are fundamental to human behavior and are often present from birth.
Meanwhile, complex emotions do not have universal or recognizable facial features. Some examples of complex emotions include:
Keep in mind: there are a multitude of complex emotions that aren't listed above. According to the APA, complex emotions are typically a combination of two or more emotions. For instance, hate could potentially be a combination of jealousy, anger, and disgust. Complex emotions also are vastly different in how they appear on a person's face and may not have immediately recognizable expressions.
How Do Emotions Work?
When most people think about emotions, they assume that emotions are all in their heads. However, scientists have discovered that while emotions do originate in your brain's limbic system, their purpose is to activate your body. Some speculate that this activation happens through the vagus nerve—the nerve that connects your brain to your body.
Each emotion you feel is designed to provoke a certain reaction in your body through hard-wired sensations and impulses. Many people believe these hard-wired responses are there to ensure your survival. For instance, feeling angry may trigger a fight response, while feeling fearful may cause you to flee (or have a "flight" response).
But these impulses also can cause you to do or say things you wish you didn't—especially if you are unable to recognize why you are feeling the way you do. Even when you are aware of your emotions or how you are feeling, your emotions can still exert a force on your body for a specific behavior. But you can find ways to not act on every impulse and choose to respond in a different way.
How Emotions Affect Your Mental Health
When considering how your emotions affect your mental health, it is important to first note that no emotion is truly "bad" or negative. Instead, negative emotions are a signal that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.
That said, if you struggle to manage these negative emotions or attempt to ignore or repress them when they crop up, this could negatively affect your mental health. In fact, when negative emotions persist for a long period of time—like chronic sadness, anger, or fear—this can lead to depression, anxiety, and even substance use.
On the other hand, if you are able to recognize negative emotions for what they are, manage those feelings, and move beyond them, this is called resilience. People who are resilient often have more positive emotions than negative emotions and have learned how to find purpose and meaning in life—even when life is hard. This does not mean that they do not experience negative feelings; they do. Instead, they recognize those feelings, deal with the issues causing them, and try to reframe their thinking.
And, while it is true that optimism and hope have been linked to health and personal success, it also can be damaging to your mental health if you only engage in positive thinking. In fact, excessive or toxic positivity can lead to unrealistic expectations and an inability to feel negative emotions.
When considering your emotions, strive for a balance between your negative and positive emotions. Remember, negative emotions serve a purpose in your life and can even encourage you to make healthy and much-needed changes.
How Emotions Affect Your Physical Health
Researchers have found a link between positive emotions and physical health. People who have a positive outlook on life tend to have better overall health including lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels and a reduced risk for heart disease. But researchers do not know if these positive emotions lead to better health or if having good health leads to positive emotions. Experts theorize it may be a combination of both factors.
There also is some evidence that experiencing positive emotions can affect your recovery when you are sick or injured. In one study, researchers noted that having a positive outlook can influence how quickly you get well and can even influence survival rates.
Meanwhile, negative emotions have been tied to long-term negative health effects. People who have trouble managing their emotions effectively or live with stress may be more likely to experience chronic health conditions and increase their risk of early death.
Learning to Manage and Express Your Emotions
Given the significance of your emotions and how they can affect your physical and mental health, it is increasingly important to manage and express your emotions in a healthy and productive way. If you are looking for ways to better manage your emotions, here are some research-backed tips on what you could do:
Acknowledge how you're feeling: One of the first steps to effectively expressing your emotions is to acknowledge how you feel. Doing so not only allows you to notice your emotions but also address any issues that could be causing you to feel these emotions.
Reframe your thinking: Changing the way you think about something can help you experience different emotions. For instance, when a situation makes you sad, you could look for the positive in the situation and focus on that instead. You may still be sad, but it won't be as all-consuming and could be easier to manage.
Set a timer: Coping with negative emotions like sadness, grief, or even anger is not about denying or repressing your feelings, but instead about not letting them take over your life. If you find that you are consumed by a particular emotion, allow yourself to feel it to its fullest, but put a time limit on it. Set a timer for 30 minutes (or a time of your choosing) to express your emotions in a way that does not harm yourself or others. When the time is up, redirect your thoughts and move on to something else. Consider going for a walk, reading a book, or making a yummy meal to shift your thinking to a different activity. The key is to feel and express your emotions but also not allow your emotions to consume you.
Spend time in nature: Numerous studies have found that spending time outside, especially in a park or another green space, improves mood. Even taking time to notice the trees when you're in a busy city could help calm your mind or change your focus so that what is troubling you is no longer taking center stage.
Make sleep a priority: Getting enough sleep is as important for your emotional health as it is for your physical health. Not getting enough rest can negatively affect your mood and daily functioning. It can be difficult to fall asleep when you're experiencing stress or feeling heavy emotions. Trying tips like taking a warm bath, reading a book, or keeping your room cold can help induce sleep quickly.
Try mindful meditation: Meditation is a scientifically-approved way to reduce stress and calm your mind. If you have a number of things bothering you or if you are suddenly overcome with emotion, find a quiet place, take a few deep breaths, and focus on the present moment. Doing so can ease negative emotions and help you cope with the challenges you are facing.
Use relaxation techniques: Breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques (like stretching or yoga) can help calm negative emotions. Specifically, breathing slowly can help change your body's physical response to negative emotions. For some people, deep breathing becomes their go-to stress-busting activity, particularly when dealing with anger or fear.
Engage in physical activity: Exercise has long been a stress reliever for people. Whether you go for a run to clear your head or take a boxing class to express some of your anger, being physically active can help you cope with negative emotions and manage them more effectively. The most important thing is to find exercises that you enjoy.
What Is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize not only your own emotions but the emotions of others as well. People who are emotionally intelligent are self-aware and able to manage their emotions and impulses. They also tend to be empathetic and can read the room. In other words, they pick up on emotional cues and recognize the emotional dynamics of the people they're around. This allows them to communicate clearly, manage conflict effectively, and work well with others.
If you want to improve your emotional intelligence, the first step is to understand your own emotions. Pay attention to how you are feeling and why. Once you understand your own emotional responses, you will be better equipped to understand the emotions of others. Understanding yourself and others helps you better your social skills, build strong relationships, and improve decision-making.
Related: Alexithymia Makes It Hard To Be in Touch With Your Emotions—12 Signs You Have This Personality Trait
A Quick Review
Your emotions are how your mind and body respond to situations in your life. There are six basic types of emotions (joy, sadness, anger, disgust, surprise, and fear), along with several types of complex emotions. Contrary to popular belief, there's no such thing as a "bad" emotion. In fact, it's normal to experience a variety of negative and positive emotions throughout your life.
While it's important to feel your emotions, it's also vital to recognize why you're feeling that way and express your emotions in an effective way. Your emotions can significantly affect your mental and physical well-being. Learning how to manage your emotions can help improve your mood, lower stress, and reduce the risk of harmful behaviors.
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