Researchers find an easy way to lower blood pressure: Think of a loved one

A couple holding hands.
(Image credit: iStock)

Looking for a quick way to lower your blood pressure? Researchers suggest you close your eyes, and think of someone you love.

A new study in the journal Psychophysiology found that when people in committed relationships were put in a potentially uncomfortable situation, when they thought about their partner, their blood pressure didn't spike the way it did with people who were told to think about how they spent their day.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.