When you think about heart health, you probably picture exercise, cholesterol numbers, or that pharmacy blood-pressure reading machine that squeezes your arm too tight. Those things matter, but the heart is also an emotional organ. It responds to joy, grief, and the company we keep. The quality of our relationships buffers stress, lowers inflammation, and supports cardiovascular resilience.
The science of co-regulation
Psychologists use the term “emotional co-regulation” to describe how people help one another manage feelings: a baby calmed by a parent, a shaken friend steadied by a stoic presence, my six-year-old comforting me after my ice cream rolls off the cone and lands squarely at my feet.
This mutual emotional balancing act doesn’t just feel good, it’s good for the heart, too. Stronger social support (more close friends, stable partnerships, religious or community engagement) is tied to substantially lower cardiovascular mortality. Support does two things at once: it helps regulate emotions in the moment and motivates long-term heart-protective habits.
These social benefits are mirrored in measurable physiological changes. Heart-rate variability (HRV), a marker of “autonomic flexibility” (the ability of our bodies to adapt to the environment around us), is associated with our ability to regulate our emotions. Higher resting HRV generally predicts better emotional control and resilience, while lower HRV is linked with emotional dysregulation and vulnerability to stress.
Luckily, we can actively influence HRV through strategies that reduce emotional distress. For example, “cognitive reappraisal”—changing your interpretation of a situation, which in turn modifies your emotional response to it, can positively affect HRV and related brain networks.
While HRV reflects our everyday ability to manage stress, extreme emotional effects can overwhelm these regulatory systems. “Broken heart syndrome” (takotsubo cardiomyopathy)—a state that links sadness and major life stress with heightened short-term cardiovascular risk—is well-recognized by the medical community. Studies show that patients who experience a recent bereavement have a more challenging path to recovery after myocardial infarction (heart attack) and higher rates of cardiovascular events in the months following loss.
Small gestures, big benefits
You don’t need romcom-worthy displays of love to help your heart. Brief, repeated acts, such as a hug, shared laughter, or attentive listening, reliably lower your perceived stress and alter stress hormones in ways that benefit circulation. Close social contact increases oxytocin (the “love hormone”) and reduces cortisol (the “stress hormone”), which help open up your blood vessels and reduce vascular strain.
By fostering meaningful connections, we can support both emotional and cardiovascular resilience.
Sometimes it’s the little things
Simple gestures can have a significant positive impact on your cardiovascular health. Practical things you can do today include:
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hugging |
triggers bonding responses; is linked to lower blood pressure and stress |
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laughing with a friend |
lowers cortisol and increases positive affect; supports vascular flexibility |
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active listening |
may reduce perceived stress and improve autonomic regulation |
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reaching out (call/text) |
is associated with increased perceived support and lower cardiovascular mortality |
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giving a compliment |
improves mood and may reduce stress-hormone activity |
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holding hands |
lowers sympathetic activation and stabilizes heart rhythms during stress |
Connection is a cardiovascular shield
People with low social support after a heart attack are significantly more likely to die within the next decade than those with strong support systems. In one recent study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease that followed acute myocardial infarction patients from 2011 to 2017, those without a partner or whose support came from non-family sources had markedly higher long-term mortality rates. In short, the company you keep after a cardiac event isn’t just comfort, it can be life-saving.
Longevity and social connections
Having social connections has been shown, in studies, to be connected with longevity. Research has indicated that having poor social relationships is associated with a 29 percent increased risk for coronary heart disease and a 32 percent increased risk for stroke.
This article was originally published in the February 2026 issue of alive magazine.
Brendan Rolfe, BA, DipA, is an advocate for functional movement and work/life balance in Penticton, BC, where he strives to bring healthy lifestyle choices to every household.
Daniela Ginta, MSc
Adam Meyer
Patience Lister
Isabela Bonnevera