Conflicting emotions in relationships can cause more stress than clear-cut feelings, whether positive or negative, a recent study suggests.
Researchers from Brigham Young University and the University of Utah conducted a three-day study involving 102 healthy adults. Participants wore portable blood pressure monitors throughout their social interactions, with blood pressure measured about five minutes into each exchange. They also kept a daily diary of their interactions.
The study found that participants’ blood pressure was higher when interacting with friends, family, or coworkers for whom they had mixed emotions, compared to those they felt mostly positive or negative about. Previous research has highlighted the health benefits of positive social relationships, but this study emphasizes the stress that can come from mixed feelings.
Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a psychology professor at Brigham Young University and the lead author of the study, explained that people tend to feel more stressed in relationships marked by uncertainty. “You never know what to expect,” she said. Recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of these relationships, she adds, can help people manage their stress. “If we understand that some situations bring out the best in people and others bring out the worst, we can cope more effectively.”
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