Thank goodness the holiday season and all those chaotic family events are coming to a close, because they may be killing you. We aren't talking about your third helping of pumpkin pie, either. Turns out the stress of the holidays may literally be shortening your life.
Without sounding too gloom-and-doom, researchers Marcus Mund and Kristin Mitte at the University of Jena in Germany discovered a connection between repressed emotions and a shorter lifespan. Bad news for anyone who didn't tell Grandma how they really felt about that itchy sweater.
Research showed that more than 6,000 "frequent internalizers" of difficult emotions suffered from higher pulse rates. Such rates could lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and kidney damage for those suppressing their anxiety and anger. So, while keeping your cool may seem like the mature thing to do, losing your temper or blowing off steam might actually be good for you. Just remember that next time your little brother is yelling at Mom. (Daily Mail)
Image: Via Daily Mail