Apr 5 2024University of Michigan
And according to the new U-M study, lifetime exposure to greater stress may have implications for daily experiences of stress and cardiovascular reactivity, which may be mechanisms explaining these health inequities. Black participants showed evidence of blunted reactivity to stress. Those that reported moderately high levels of stress across the life course showed less cardiovascular reactivity to daily life stress compared to white individuals.” Blunted reactivity to stress may initially sound good or even desirable, but Birditt says that’s not necessarily the case. Failing to react to stress can be a significant health issue.
To collect longitudinal data, Birditt and colleagues asked participants about a series of life event stressors they may have experienced over the past year, such as the loss of a family member, job changes or moving, in addition to tracking daily stresses over three-hour time periods. Daily stresses included things like feeling annoyed, hurt or irritated by interpersonal relationships.