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THINGS TO REMEMBER THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE RED.
ARGUMENTS ARE A quintessential part of any relationship — between couples, parents and teenages, friends... But while agreeing to disagree can be healthy, anyone who’s had a massive blow-up with a loved one, or even a colleague, knows it can leave you feeling physically and mentally drained. If arguments continue on a regular basis, it can have an adverse effect on your health.
Hypertension and the risk of developing diabetes are the consequences of protracted fighting, but here, we take a look at what exactly goes in the brain and body to cause the aforementioned adverse ill effects.
BRAIN DRAIN
When in fight mode, coming up with choleric things to say is the least of what your brain does. A single face, word, gesture or action that poses a threat can trigger the amygdala — part of the brain responsible for emotions — to send an alarm to the hypothalamus, which, in turn, signals the adrenal and pituitary glands into action. That is your brain setting you up for a fight or flight situation. This kind of stress, with high levels of hormones coursing through your veins can impair your judgement. This means that the brain will not recognise if the threat is coming from a loved one or a stranger, leading to a situation that can be catastrophic. That’s not all, though. Stress brought on by arguments releases the hormone cortisol into the body. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Iowa, increased levels of cortisol in the body over extended periods of time can lead to loss of synaptic function in the prefrontal cortex, causing short-term memory loss. This explains why you could sometimes get tongue-tied during an argument.
That said, a healthy tête-à-tête can be rewarding. A heated discussion can result in new ideas. According to Judith E. Glaser, the author of Conversational Intelligence, “During a productive argument, the outside layer of nerves in our brain strengthen, which allows us to work through challenges in the future that would initially cause us to give up.”
HEALTH HORRORS
The release of adrenaline into the bloodstream increases heart rate and the amount of sugar in the blood, not only raising blood pressure, but putting the body into the risk of developing diabetes.
And while having the occasional argument isn’t going to be deleterious to your health, constant nagging and fighting can impact your cardiovascular system, putting you at risk of heart disease. When angry, the body’s autonomic nervous system kicks into action, and if in a constant state of alertness due to protracted arguing, this can damage arteries due to the increase in blood pressure.
Screaming matches can also affect your vocal cords. While raising your voice every once in a while is fine, couples who argue a lot will find their voice changing over time, becoming raspy due to the growth of small nodules that may need to be removed surgically.
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON
It’s easier said than done, but in the heat of the moment, the best thing to do is to take deep breaths and keep calm. A 2014 study published in the journal Emotion has shown that people who are able to control their emotions had higher relationship satisfaction. Listening to your partner and validating their responses can reduce the negative effects of stress during an argument as well. And sometimes, the aftermath of a fight can help remind you why you fell in love, or care for, the person you just argued with. And if that’s your partner, having a big wet snog to make up after a brutal argument will release all those lovely happy juices in the brain.
WHILE HAVING THE OCCASIONAL ARGUMENT ISN’T GOING TO BE DELETERIOUS TO YOUR HEALTH, CONSTANT NAGGING AND FIGHTING CAN IMPACT YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM