For women, being kind to oneself may be good for the heart

Practicing self-compassion can lead to better heart health among women, lowering the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) regardless of the presence of risk factors, as suggested in a recent study.

“A lot of research has been focused on studying how stress and other negative factors may impact cardiovascular health, but the impact of positive psychological factors, such as self-compassion, is far less known,” according to lead researcher Dr Rebecca Thurston, of the University of Pittsburgh in the US.

In their study, Thurston and colleagues looked at a group of 195 middle-aged women (mean age 59 years), all of whom completed the Neff Self-Compassion Scale questionnaire. Specifically, the women had to rate how often they experienced feelings of inadequacy, whether they often felt disappointed by their self-perceived flaws, or if they treated themselves with care and tenderness during difficult life moments.

Results revealed that the women who scored higher vs low on the self-compassion scale had thinner carotid intima-media thickness and less plaque buildup on ultrasound. What’s more, these indicators translated into a lower risk of future CVD, such as heart attacks and strokes. [Health Psychol 2021;40:747-753]

Demographic factors (eg, age and education), cardiovascular risk factors (eg, body mass index, blood pressure, and insulin resistance), as well as behaviours and other psychological factors that might influence CVD outcomes (eg, physical activity, smoking, and depressive symptoms) did not attenuate the cardioprotective effect of self-compassion.

“Self-compassion is a positive psychological construct characterized by extending compassion toward oneself, often during periods of suffering,” Thurston said.

Along with mindfulness, self-compassion is a tool that counsellors and clinical psychologists commonly endorse for individuals who are dealing with chronic stress. These techniques, Thurston noted, have been shown to help manage anxiety, irritability, and even mild depression.

While there is a glut of evidence linking self-compassion to psychological outcomes, the current study shows that the practice of being kind to oneself might have beneficial physiological effects. This adds to the growing evidence on the effect of self-compassion on physical health.

How self-compassion benefits physical health may have to do with, first, a reduction in stress levels that occurs when people respond to their personal failures or struggles with a kind and forgiving attitude, and second, increased engagement in health-promoting behaviours. Indeed, a previous study showed that self-compassionate people reported lower stress, practicing health behaviours, and better overall physical health. [Health Psychol Open 2017;4:2055102917729542]

“We are all living through extraordinarily stressful times, and our research suggests that self-compassion is essential for both our mental and physical health,” Thurston said.

The researcher added that the next step in the research is to consider whether enhancing self-compassion improves women’s vascular health.